Funeral services for Doris E. Gregerson of Albert Lea will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Lutheran Church of Albert Lea. The Rev. John Holt will officiate. Visitation will be Friday from 5 until 7 p.m. at Bonnerup Funeral Service and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Hayward Cemetery.
Doris died peacefully Wednesday afternoon at the Thorne Crest Retirement Community. She was 86 years of age.
Doris was born in November of 1923 in Albert Lea, the daughter of Andrew and Lillie (Keen) Larson. She attended public school in Albert Lea. On Sept. 5, 1942, she was united in marriage to James Gregerson in Albert Lea.
Doris was a member of First Lutheran Church, having been baptized and confirmed there. She was active in Circle 31, the church library, church choir and was an active soloist. She lived most of her life in Albert Lea, moved around with her husband while he was in the service, and after retirement, spent several years in the Park Rapids area.
Doris was employed as an interpretive naturalist at Helmer Myre State Park. She had a great love of the outdoors, especially wildflowers and birds.
Doris was very active in RSVP, the Naeve Auxiliary, Sons of Norway, the Genealogy Society, the Audubon Society and the Minnesota Territorial Pioneers. She enjoyed reading, writing, knitting and loved cooking and Scandinavian baking. She was a member of the Sewing Club, a special group of lifelong friends. Doris was a published poet, and started Nordic pole walking at age 85. She was very faithful to her Lord.
Doris is survived by her brother, Allan Larson of Albert Lea; and her children: Amy and her husband Tom Froiland of Marquette, Mich., Pam and her husband Brian Karich of Hibbing, Jay and his wife Kathi Gregerson of Albert Lea, Julie and her husband John Hemsworth of Park Rapids, Kristin and her husband Orville Mandan of Fargo, N.D. Grandchildren include: Erik (Aby) Froiland, Peter (Jackie) Froiland, Christine Erickson, Mark (Julie) Erickson, Nissa (Keith) Bolinger, Andrea (Brandon) Harmdierks, Naomi Gregerson, Daniel Orth, Serena Gregerson-Wiemer, Amanda Wiemer and Shawn Mandan. There are 14 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James, in 2000; her daughter, Cathy, in 2007; a great-granddaughter, Myah Gregerson-Sorenson; and brothers and sisters-in-law.