Doloris Lorsung

In May of 2019, Doloris was hospitalized for a virus.  At that time, she could still carry on a limited conversation.  One of the nurses was about to become married, and she knew that my parents were soon to be celebrating their 62nd Wedding Anniversary.  This nurse asked Doloris if she had any advice for him?  Doloris said, “Be a giver, not a taker.”  And that best describes Doloris!

Doloris Ann Lorsung, the oldest of five children, was born on October 2, 1935, the daughter of Eberhard and Catherine (Douvier) Buttweiler.  Doloris and her family grew up just after the Great Depression and times were still very hard.  Doloris remembered one winter when all the family ate was fish, because her father was unemployed but a good fisherman.

Their fortunes changed when her family moved to Albany.  Doloris worked at the movie theater and graduated from Albany High School as Valedictorian.  After high School Dolores attended St. Cloud State receiving a three-year teaching certificate.  It was at that time, she met the love of her life, Don Lorsung who was working in St cloud after serving in the Navy.  Love bloomed, and they were united in marriage on June 15, 1957, at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany.  Together, they lived in Alexandria and raised six children, Barbara, Joan, Donald C., Peter, Mary, and Ann.

Doloris decided to go back to college to get her teacher’s degree.  So, at the age of 46, Doloris moved into the dorms at St. Cloud State from 1981-1982 as one of the first non-traditional students to receive her teacher’s degree.  Dolores worked at St Mary's Catholic School for 27 years as a teacher's aide and later a title 1 teacher.  She also worked at the public library as a librarian.

Volunteering was an important part of Doloris’s life.  She volunteered as an election judge, at Birthrite and the Red Cross.  Doloris was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary Post #936, member of the Legion Auxiliary of Millerville Post #527 and a member of the Fireman’s Ladies Auxiliary.  Doloris was a very faithful and prayerful woman.  She belonged to the Church of St. Mary where she was a Eucharistic Minister to nursing homes, she led the rosary with Don before the 5 PM Mass, sang in the choir, taught CCD, and was a member of the Daughters of Isabella as a Regent.

Loving, non-judgmental, hardworking, neat, and easy going are just a few words that describe Doloris.   She had a welcoming and giving heart that gave people who met her a sense of peace and calmness.  Another strength of Doloris was her ability to grow vegetables and flowers.  Doloris received her master gardening degree and was always innovative in her growing of plants by trying new organic ways of planting.  Memories of Doloris always saying “Thank you”, being a great cook, and a loving wife, mother, and grandmother will always be cherished by those who knew and loved her.

Doloris A. Lorsung died on Sunday, August 30, 2020, at her home surrounded by her loving family at the age of 84 years old.  She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Donald R. Lorsung of Alexandria; children, Barbara (Tom) Johnson of St. Cloud, Joan (Mark) Wiering of Tyler, Donald C. (Debra) Lorsung of Moorhead, Peter Lorsung of St. Cloud, Mary (Bob) Piekarski, of Buffalo, and Ann (Kris) Porter of Maple Lake; 14 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren; brother, Lloyd (Brenda) Buttweiler of St. Cloud, sister, Dora Growth of Leesburg, FL; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Kenneth, and sister, Mary Lou Raden.

Doloris’s family would like to thank Glacier Ridge Home Care and Hospice for their loving care they gave to Doloris for the last 16 months.

Memorials are preferred to Birthline, MCCL, or to Pro-Life Across America.

A visitation will take place on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 from 5-7 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 10:30 AM at the Church of St. Mary in Alexandria, MN. This service will be live streamed from Doloris’s obituary page on the funeral home website.

Entombment will be at the St. Mary’s Catholic Mausoleum.  Casket bearers were Adam Piekarski, Sam Piekarski, Joe Lorsung, Jeff Lorsung, Kevin Lorsung, Andrew Wiering, and Luke Wiering.