Dorothy Burgland, 1921-2016

Published 9:43 am Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Graveside services will be at a later date for Dorothy B. Burglund of Albert Lea, who died Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, at St. John’s Lutheran Community in Albert Lea.

Dorothy was born March 6, 1921, in Minneapolis, the daughter of Harold and Minnie (Erickson) Follos. She was a graduate of Minneapolis South High School.

Dorothy Burgland

Dorothy Burgland

On Feb. 24, 1940, Dorothy eloped with her fiance, Wesley Burglund, and they were married in Northwood. 

Email newsletter signup

Dorothy raised three beautiful children who were her pride and joy. She worked as a bank teller in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale, but her true love was music. Dorothy served as a choir director in church for much of her life and she always had a song to sing. She spent her time crocheting, doing ceramics, collecting porcelain dolls and doing counted cross stitch. She loved playing bingo and doing crossword puzzles. She often said that she had to keep her hands busy! She loved “The Wizard of Oz” and had a large collection of anything related to the movie.

Dorothy moved to Albert Lea in 1990 to be closer to her Minnesota family and was a member of Salem Lutheran Church.  

Dorothy is survived by her children Janice Grodahl of Albert Lea, Katherine (David) Young of Lakeland, Florida, and James (Terri) Burglund of Auburn, Washington; grandchildren Carrie (James) Troe, Robert (Barbara) Grodahl, Todd Grodahl, Alissa (Dan) Janson, Jaimee Young, Laura (Jay) Pawlyk, Nancy Burglund, David (Sheila) Burglund, Michael Burglund and Kristina Burglund; and 12 great-grandchildren.  

She was preceded in death and now reunited in heaven with her darling husband, Wesley; her parents; and two sisters, Gladys Krantz and Marion Stevens.  

Two excerpts from her personal Bible sum it up best: “Remember me with joy and laughter,” and “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free!”