Dorothy Nordly

Funeral services for Dorothy Nordly will be held on Monday, April 7, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Siloah Lutheran Church in rural Graceville. Reverend John Ragan will officiate. Burial will be at Siloah Cemetery in rural Graceville.

Visitation will be at the Mundwiler & Larson Funeral Home of Graceville on Sunday, April 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral at the church on Monday.

Dorothy Grace (Crandall) Nordly was born on July 31, 1915, to Edwin Lee Crandall and Grace (Wolfe) Crandall in Rochelle, Illinois. When she was 4, her mother died, and Dorothy, her father and brother moved to a farm near Herman, MN. Because it was difficult to be a farmer and care for a young child, Dorothy was sent to live with an aunt in Florida. She returned to her home in Herman to attend a one room country grade school. Her family grew to include her stepmother, Gertrude, and six more siblings.

Dorothy graduated from high school in Herman. She was married on December 3, 1937, to Melvin Edward Nordly. They farmed near Herman for several years until they moved to their farm in Parnell Township in Traverse County in 1941. Here they farmed and raised their family of four children.

They were members of Siloah Lutheran Church. Being an active part of the Siloah church family was central to the Nordly family. Dorothy enjoyed Ladies Aid meetings, sewing quilts for the needy, and cooking and baking for church sponsored dinners.

Dorothy actively supported her family in their 4-H projects and activities. Dorothy enjoyed gardening - especially her iris garden, square dancing, going to the cabin, and going south for the winter with their camper.

On Tuesday, April 1, 2014, Dorothy passed away at Grace Home in Graceville at the age of 98 years, 8 months and 1 day.

Dorothy is survived by her family: son Clifford (Joann) Nordly and family — Laurie Anderson, Jared (Kiara) Nordly, Aaron (Karine) Nordly, Jennifer (Bob) Haukos and April (Josh) Sibson; daughter Marcella Hansen and family — Ronda (Bruce) Eckhart and Jeff (Jodi) Hansen; daughter Judith (Robert) Ophaug and family — Trudy( Chris) Bonvino, Kelly (Cullen) Hegarty and Bryan Ophaug; son James (Jean) Nordly and family — Eric Nordly and Heather (Eric) Sachs. She was also blessed with 25 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson.

She was preceded in death by her husband Melvin; her mother Grace; father Edwin and step-mother Gertrude; son-in-law Harlan Hansen; brothers Edwin and Don; and sisters Betty, Editha, Mary Jane, JoAnn and Elaine.