Dolores Christensen

Dolores Mae Hovde Christensen, age 86, formerly of Ortonville passed away on Monday, March 9, 2015, at Park River Estates Care Center in Coon Rapids, MN.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 11, at 10:30 a.m. at the First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville with Rev. David Tonn officiating. A luncheon will follow and interment will be held at Mound Cemetery in Ortonville.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 10, from 4-7 p.m. at the Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home in Ortonville and will continue for one hour prior to the time of service at the church on Saturday.

Dolores was born on May 17, 1928, to William and Alma (Schrock) Rheingans at her grandparent's farm near Appleton, MN. After graduating from Appleton High School with the class of 1946, she worked in the dental office of Dr. Robert and Dr. Dave Miller, where she was part of the first of many "families." After the Miller's retired, she worked for Dr. Rudy Ronning in Appleton and later for Dr. Al Hanson in Ortonville. These workplace friendships lasted her entire life.

On January 22, 1949, Dolores was united in marriage to Howard Hovde. They lived on a farm near Odessa, where they raised their three children. Dolores was an excellent cook and enjoyed entertaining family and friends. The house was always picked up and ready for company in a moment's notice. She was active in her church on many committees and women's groups where she served at both the local and synod level. She was a member of the county welfare board for many years and was a Reach to Recovery volunteer after surviving breast cancer.

In 1974, Dolores lost her husband Howard and eventually relocated from the farm to Ortonville in 1976. Dolores met John Christensen, who was from Austin, MN, while on a trip to Australia. They were married on August 30, 1980, and resided in Ortonville. Many new "family groups" were part of her life: circle, birthday group, Koinonia, Study Club, Day of Love, and neighbors. She remained in her home until June 2010, when she moved to assisted living in Andover, MN to be near her family. In September 2014, Dolores moved to a care facility.

Dolores has always been a people person, endearing everyone with her compassion and love, so much that the sentiment in every greeting card was extremely important to her. We have all been blessed to call her sister, mother, mother-in-law, grandma, great-grandma, relative, and friend. Thanks be to God!

Dolores is survived by her son, David (Faye) Hovde of Coon Rapids, MN; daughters, Jane Hovde Medcalf of Plymouth, MN and Ann (Jeff) Verdoorn of Merrill, WI; step-daughter, Nancy Christensen of Hayward, CA; grandchildren: Bryan (Bridget) Hovde, Alison (Ben) Jensen, Laura Medcalf, Emily Medcalf, Tim Verdoorn, Kristen Verdoorn, Kali Bell; great-granddaughters, Avery Jensen and Stella Hovde; brother, Glenn (Dee) Rheingans; uncle, Chester Larson; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Howard Hovde and John Christensen; and infant daughter, Mary Hovde.

Memorials are preferred to Operation Smile or First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville.