Doris Gilsdorf

Doris Gilsdorf, age 102, of Graceville, MN, passed away on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at Essentia Health – Grace Home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Graceville, MN. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the church on Saturday. Fr. Shawn Polman will celebrate the Mass, and interment will be at Graceville Consolidated Cemetery.

The family of Doris Gilsdorf is grateful for the condolences and many acts of love and support. Following Mass please join the family for a time of food and fellowship at the Holy Rosary Parish Center.

Doris Bernice (Armbruster) Gilsdorf was born on November 28, 1921, in Taylor Township of Traverse County, MN, to Bernard and Georgia Doris (Krevinghaus) Armbruster. Doris was the second oldest of eight children. She attended District #44 School, a one-room school, in Taylor Township through eighth grade. Doris then attended high school in White Rock, SD, for two years until she was 16 years old, staying those two years with her paternal grandmother, Christine Armbruster. 

After finishing school, she worked as a domestic caretaker for various families in the Wheaton, MN, area where she met Donald Mathias Gilsdorf. She was working for a family and Don’s farm was right across the road.

On September 27, 1941, Doris was united in marriage with Don in Dumont, MN. The couple moved to a farm west of Dumont where they lived for five years before purchasing their own farm near Collis, MN, the summer of 1946. They moved into Graceville in the spring of 2000. Don passed away on October 1, 2000. Doris continued to live in her home until Fall of 2018 when she moved into Grace Village Assisted Living. In August of 2024, she moved to Grace Home where she lived until her passing. She lived her later years with the attitude that she would never die.

Doris had many talents. She was a gifted seamstress, sewing for many people in the Collis area. She made wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and any other sewing or alterations that people wanted. Doris and Don square danced for many years, and she would sew her own square dance dresses as well as Don’s shirt to match. She was very talented in creating floral arrangements from her own garden, making corsages as well. At the age of 70, she took up painting and painted numerous scenery and floral pictures, giving them to family members. Doris did a lot of babysitting with her 10 grandsons and her one granddaughter. She loved cooking and baking for her family. 

As a cancer survivor, Doris was in the cancer support group for over ten years. She was also very active in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Collis, where she held many officer positions throughout the years in the St. Catherine’s Guild. 

Doris was not afraid to speak her mind. A person never had to wonder what her thoughts were. For example, it would not be uncommon for her to tell her daughters she didn’t like their haircut, hair color or even their choice of clothes to wear any day. She didn’t like to be wrong. Known for her incredible memory by anyone who knew her, Doris never forgot anything up until shortly before death. Doris was remarkable at remembering names, faces, birth dates, anniversary dates, and any other date that may be significant, as well as details about people. 

She loved being around her family more than anyone or anything else and she was extremely protective of her family. After her 95th birthday celebration with her family, someone told her she really had good looking grandchildren. Her response: “Not an ugly one in the bunch.” This has become quite the saying in the Gilsdorf family. 

Doris is survived by her children: Thomas (Mary) Gilsdorf of Graceville, MN; Philip Gilsdorf of Collis, MN; Pamela (Duane) Brehmer of Moorhead, MN; 14 grandchildren: Todd Sletten, Gary (Leah) Sletten, Brian (Lisa) Sletten, Scott (Lori) Gilsdorf, Rick (Lisa) Gilsdorf, Clint (Carla) Gilsdorf, Brett (Karri) Gilsdorf, Michael Gilsdorf, Darin Gilsdorf, Amy (Josh) Williams, Mark (Kirsten) Barutt, Matthew (Janene) Brehmer, Luke (Emily) Brehmer, and Natalie (Zack) Kollman; 23 great-grandchildren, 13 great-great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law: John Gilsdorf and LeMoyne Bock; along with many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Donald M. Gilsdorf in 2000; daughter, Virginia “Ginger” in 2024; granddaughter-in-law, Sandy Sletten in 2011; her parents; brothers: Marvin Armbruster, infant brother, Duane Armbruster, and Donald (Gladys) Armbruster; and sisters: Burnys (Peter) Koch, Joyce (Leo) Beyer, June (LeMoyne) Bock, and Fern (Joseph) Koch.

Donations can be made to Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Graceville Consolidated Cemetery, or Graceland Cemetery in White Rock, SD.