Dorothy Durrell Friedline, 104, affectionately known as Gigi to her family and friends, died Friday, April 5, 2013, at her daughter’s home in Albert Lea.

A funeral Mass for Dorothy will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Epiphany Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 North Adams, Mason City, with the Rev. Neil T. Manternach officiating. Burial will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Plymouth, Iowa, at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral Mass on Tuesday at the church.

Bride Colonial Chapel, 110 E. Spring Street in Manly, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.

Dorothy Durrell Dixson Friedline was born on Dec. 14, 1908, in Ogden, Iowa, the daughter of Ray L. and Priscilla “Sylvia” E. (Smith) Dixson. Dorothy graduated from Plymouth High school in 1927. She went on to college, her first year to Mason City Junior College, to wait for her sister to graduate from high school so they could go on to college at Cornell College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They spent two years there, but had to stop because of the Great Depression. Dorothy started teaching in country schools to help her parents, while living at home. She went back to college at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Dorothy graduated in 1935 with a Bachelor of Science degree in home economics. After graduation she taught school, and worked for her father as secretary at the R.L. Dixson Implement Co. in Plymouth before their implement company was moved to Mason City.

On Jan. 26, 1941, she married her college sweetheart, James M. Friedline, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mason City and to this marriage three children were born, Priscilla, Cynthia and John, with Dorothy loving to be a stay at home mom.

After her father’s death in 1956, Dorothy went back to work as secretary for her husband, James, who was her father’s partner. In 1961, they sold the business because of her husband’s illness. Dorothy stayed home to care for him for the next 13 years until his death on Sept. 25, 1973. From 1973 to 2013, Dorothy followed her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and all of their activities. She was always there for them, from grade school to college; volleyball, baseball, football, dance and theater, high school rodeo, pro-rodeo, high school and college wrestling and horse racing. She took up golf in her 70s, traveled to Europe, Hawaii and other states. Dorothy enjoyed reading, sewing, horseback riding, fishing, and being famous for making “Grandma Cookies.”

Dorothy was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manly, (former member of St. Michaels Catholic Church in Plymouth), Daughters of the American Colonists, Daughters of the American Revolution, (and can trace her line to John Quincy Adams, U.S. President and Robert Treat Paine, signer of the Declaration of Independence), Edward Tossel American Legion auxiliary in Manly, and more than a 75-year member of Kappa Delta Sorority. While living in Albert Lea, Dorothy attended St. Theodore Catholic Church.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Priscilla (Rodger) Kelber of Albion, Iowa, Cynthia (Gary) Trebil of Albert Lea and John (Connie) of Apex, N.C.; nine grandchildren, Scott (Ashley) Kelber, Pamela (Frank) Lange, Jason (Renee) Kelber, Jared (Michelle) Kelber, Nathan (Sara) Trebil, Anne (David) Bachem, Amy Hamilton, Jennifer (Mathew) Inskeep, and Liberty (Jonathan) Hill; 18 great-grandchildren, Lakoda, KeAnn, Joshua, Aaron, McKenzie, Madison, Jordan, Grace, Maci, Brody, Koltt, Morgan, Reese, Bailey, Joey, Brooks, Saylor and Harrison; nieces, Gretchen (Tim) Collins, Judy Steinmetz; nephew, Ray (Torri) Steinmetz; special friend, Shirley Snell; as well as other extended family members and friends.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James M. Friedline; sister, Grayce (brother-in-law, George) Steinmetz; nephew, George Steinmetz II; brother-in-law, Fred Friedline; and sister-in-law, Marie Friedline.

Bride Colonial Chapel can be reached at 641-454-2242 or visit them online at www.colonialchapels.com.