Dorothy Margaret Kruesel

Dorothy M. Kruesel, 95, a life-long resident of Rochester, passed away 2/10/2015 at her home at the Homestead of Rochester. A Celebration of Life will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes Chapel.Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service. Dorothy Margaret Case was born March 10, 1919, in Rochester, Minnesota, to John and Dorothy Case.She graduated from Rochester High School in 1937 and attended Winona State University until she married Elmer Kruesel in Rochester on October 6, 1940.Dorothy was a busy housewife and mother, who enjoyed flowers and gardening, bridge, reading, music and dancing, needlework, baking, entertaining, collecting antiques and extensive traveling. She volunteered for many years at Rochester Methodist Hospital as a Pink Lady Auxillian.After Elmers retirement, they enjoyed winters in Arizona and later, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.They loved driving to the northeastern U.S. to see the fall colors, and visited Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, traveled twice to China, and 11 times to Europe.Besides numerous bridge clubs, Elmer and Dorothy enjoyed dancing, dining, and had an active social calendar! Dorothy loved flower gardening and she and Elmer created extensive terraced gardens, featuring tulips, clematis, irises, peonies, ferns, and bleeding hearts, to name some of her favorites. Above all, Dorothy was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.She dearly loved spending time with her family, and for many years, hosted large elegant family and holiday celebrations, which will remain cherished memories for her entire family. Dorothy is survived by Elmer, her husband of 74 years, her children, Karen (James) Warren, Gary (Rita) Kruesel, John (Judy) Kruesel; her grandchildren, Jill, Jim (Sandra Filardo), Jeff (Sheila), Tim, Brian, Claire, and Lucy; and her great-grandchildren, Taylor, Max, Anna, Lorna Rae, Sara, Amelia, and Jimmy.She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings. Memorials are preferred to Mayo Hospice or Gloria Dei Church.The family will be forever grateful to the Homestead nursing staff and Hospice staff for their loving, gentle care.