Dorothy Benitta Uhlenkamp

December 31, 1926 - July 23, 2015

Dorothy Uhlenkamp, 88, of Redwood Falls died Thursday, July 23, 2015 at Wood Dale Home in Redwood Falls. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 from St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Redwood Falls with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held on Monday, July 27, 2015, from 4 until 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m., all at Nelson-Hillestad Funeral Home in Redwood Falls. Visitation will continue at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. Arrangements are with Nelson-Hillestad Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelson-hillestad.com. The family requests memorials be directed to Service Enterprises, Inc. (SEI), 515 West Bridge Street, Redwood Falls, MN 56283 or www.service-enterprises.org. SEI provides employment for people with special needs. Dorothy Benitta Uhlenkamp, the daughter of Benjamin “Ben” and Evelyn “Eva” (Loban) Pelz, was born December 31, 1926 in Seaforth. She moved with her family to Redwood Falls in 1932, to Clements in 1938 and back to Redwood Falls in 1940. Dorothy graduated from Redwood Falls High School in 1946 and then worked as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell. On January 17, 1949, Dorothy married Francis “Fran” Uhlenkamp at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church and the couple moved to the family homestead in Paxton Township. Dorothy was a farmwife for the rest of her life, although she and Fran did retire and move into Redwood Falls. Dorothy converted to the Catholic faith before she was married. She was a very faith-filled woman who loved the Lord and passed her love of God to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After moving to town, Dorothy and Fran attended daily Mass every Friday. She enjoyed creating her own prayers and poems. Dorothy was an advocate for people of special needs. She taught religion to the special needs children and adults for many years, chaired the ARC Chili Supper for 29 years, and served on the Board of Directors at SEI (Service Enterprises, Inc.). Dorothy befriended and counseled many young mothers with special needs children. She wrote letters to her legislators and worked as an election judge. Dorothy was very involved in church activities at St. Catherine’s. She taught first grade religion, was a communion distributor to the nursing homes, held several offices in the Council of Catholic Women and served on the Social Concerns Committee. Dorothy was a cook for funerals and cooked for the Ecumenical Pro-Life Prayer Services. She was a member of the United Church Women, serving as president during her term. Dorothy served as president of the Redwood County Home Council, and was very active in her Paxton Extension Group. She was an adult leader for the Paxton Patriots 4-H Club, was a member of the hospital auxiliary and loved working in the hospital coffee shop. Dorothy and Fran delivered Meals on Wheels. She loved gardening and had beautiful vegetable and flower gardens on the farm. Dorothy started a beautiful flower garden in town that was admired by many as they drove by. When she wasn’t able to care for it any longer, she gave the plants to her daughters and granddaughters. Dorothy was a great cook and loved to bake. She loved to entertain and always set a beautiful table. Dorothy did lots of sewing for her girls and taught them all how to sew. She made many lovely quilts and helped the Madonna Mission Club tie many quilts. She and Fran also enjoyed many rounds of golf. From 1986 to 2004, Dorothy enjoyed their lake home at Waskawood near Glenwood. She loved entertaining the family and socializing with her lake neighbors. Dorothy loved to play cards, often playing UNO with her grandchildren and HAND & FOOT with her children and their spouses. She and Fran had a running tally in a notebook of the wins and losses of their games of HAND & FOOT. She learned to play bridge after they moved to town, and played several times a week. She had an interest in genealogy and wrote and published several books on the Pelz and Uhlenkamp families as well as her memoir “Yesterday’s Memories – Tomorrow’s Dreams.” While on the farm, Dorothy kept a daily diary for 20 years. She and Fran loved to travel and she also enjoyed trips with her sisters. Dorothy shared her passion for travel with her daughters and they enjoyed many trips together. She is survived by her loving husband, Fran of Redwood Falls; daughters Nancy (Bob) Hanna of Morton, Gail (Rick) Feriancek of Alexandria, Lynn (Scott) Brabec of Elk River, and Diane (Dan) Ortendahl of New Prague; son Jeff Uhlenkamp of Redwood Falls; and grandchildren Lori (Larry) Goelz of Pipestone, Lisa (Chris) Warner of Stillwater, Scott (Tina) Hanna of Wabasso, Lia Feriancek of Berlin, Germany, Dave (Michelle) Feriancek of St. Joseph, Joe Brabec of Big Lake, Alysia Brabec of Plymouth, Megan (Jed) Felix of Fargo, North Dakota, Sarah (Adam) Tupa of Rosemount, and Jennifer (Patrick) Crawford of St. Paul. Also surviving are her great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Kaitlyn, and Jack Goelz of Pipestone, Amelia and Garin Warner of Stillwater, Madeline, Sophia, Calvin, and Grace Hanna of Wabasso, Kennedy Feriancek of St. Joseph, Melody Ortendahl of Rosemount, and Izak, Brody and Logan Tupa of Rosemount; her sister Lois Boschert of Blaine; and sister-in-law Margaret Uhlenkamp of Eden Prairie. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Kathryn, sisters Viola, Delores, Phyllis, and Ruth; and brothers Harold and Howard. Blessed be her memory.