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Dorothy Rae Finley, age 91 of Franklin passed away on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at the Seasons Hospice in Redwood Falls. Funeral services will be on Friday at 10:00 A.M. at the Morton United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. Thursday at the Redwood Valley Funeral Home in Redwood Falls. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Interment is in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Eden Township. The Redwood Valley Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Email condolences may be sent via www.redwoodvalleyfuneralhome.com. Dorothy Rae Finley was born January 12, 1917 at home in Eden Township to Ray and Mary (Colwell) Munsell. She attended Grass Valley Country School through the 8th grade and graduated from Franklin High School in 1934. After high school she attended business school in Minneapolis. Dorothy returned to Franklin and opened The Coffee Cup, which she owned and operated for several years. It was there that she met her husband Merle, and they were later united in marriage on August 18, 1943 in Franklin. Together the couple made their home on the family farm in the Minnesota River Valley south of Franklin, where Dorothy helped with the farm work. Dorothy and Merle moved to Franklin in 1964 she and got back into the restaurant business at the Midway Café where Dorothy was famous for her doughnuts. She later worked at the Franklin Nursing Home, and also worked as the secretary at church. Merle passed away in 1995. Dorothy moved to Johnson Park Place in Redwood Falls in 2001 where she has resided since. Dorothy was very active in her church where she served on the Ladies’ Aid, she served on the Civic Club in Franklin, and the Mount Hope Cemetery Board. She had a strong connection to nature especially around her home going to the “Big Woods.” She was a fabulous cook, and enjoyed reading, knitting, and handiwork, gardening, bird watching and feeding birds. Dorothy loved spending time with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren. Dorothy is survived by her children: Jacqueline Simmons (special friend Mark Johanneck) of Redwood Falls and Robert (Gail) Finley of Mankato; grandchildren: Joseph (Tonii) Simmons of Roseville, Julia (Eric) Peterson of Huntley, IL, Sarah (Nathan) Jacobson, Aaron (Elizabeth) Finley of Alexandria, and Nikolas Finley (special friend Megan Hardesty) of Sartell; great-grandchildren: Mika and Kyle Jacobson, Jack Finley, Cullen and Aidan Simmons; siblings: Jean Kiecker of Fairfax, William (Donna) Munsell of Franklin, and Mary Lou (Bob) Mathias of Bella Vista, AR; and many other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Merle, granddaughter Alice Simmons, and son-in-law Edward Simmons. |