Dorothy Mitzel

Dorothy Irene (Van Vlaenderen) Mitzel, 83, of Wahpeton, ND passed away on August 30, 2016, at Villa Maria nursing home in Fargo, ND. A Funeral Service will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, September 3, at Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton. Visitation will be Friday, from 5 PM to 7 PM with a 7 PM Prayer Service at Willow Creek Chapel, Wahpeton and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton. Arrangements are entrusted with Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.

Dorothy was born on November 21, 1932 to Cyriel and Clara Van Vlaenderen on the family farm located in Dexter Township in Richland County. She attended the country school across the road from their farm.

She married Lyle Mitzel on June 29, 1950, and they raised their family in Wahpeton. She worked part-time as a housekeeper, and later worked 25 years as a sales associate at JC Penney. It also seemed that every dollar she earned while working there was spent in that store on her children and grandchildren.

Dorothy was a wonderful cook and baker. She enjoyed caring for her flowers and plants, listening to old-time country music, watching old westerns on television, listening to radio broadcasts of local high school sports, and was also a fan of the Twins, Timberwolves, and Vikings.

She is survived by daughter, Mary (Gary) Parsons, Fargo; son, Scott Mitzel, Aurora, IL; grandchildren, Eric "Festus" (Heather) Mickelson, Colfax, Sarah (Todd) Johnson, Galchutt, Grant Parsons, Fargo, Lucas (Kristen) Mitzel, Naperville, IL, and Logan Mitzel, Aurora, IL; great-grandchildren, Colten and Sadie Mickelson and McKenzie Johnson; sister, Theresa Gilbertson, Oak Hills, CA, brother, Dick Van Vlaenderen, Green Acres, WA, and sisters-in-law, Agatha Mitzel, Wahpeton, and Pat Mitzel, Kirkland, WA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 55 years, Lyle; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and David Bakken; daughter-in-law, Sophie Mitzel; granddaughter, Allison Deutscher, her husband Aaron, and their toddler, Brielle; brothers, Harold Van Vlaenderen, Walter Van Vlaenderen, and Robert Van Vlaenderen; and sisters, Margaret Davis, Catherine Jacobson, and infant sister, Mary Van Vlaenderen.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton, or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 550 E. Boughton Road, Suite 230, Bolingbrook, IL 60440, in honor of her grandson Logan who is living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.