Obituary for Dorothy E. Terhaar

Dorothy Ella (DeMarais) Terhaar:

Wife. Mother. Sister. Grandmother. Great-grandmother. Dorothy, 80, was all those things to the many who loved her. She cared for countless others during a long career as a nurse. On Sept. 5 she died peacefully at Mercy Hospital, where she had worked for 20 years. She had been surrounded by family since suffering a stroke two days earlier. What makes for a life well-lived? Dorothy defined a good life as one filled with faith and family. One of sixteen children in a Minnesota farm family, Dorothy DeMarais met her husband of 60 years, Roland (Rollie) Terhaar, at a dance she attended with her roommate, Rollie’s cousin, in 1955. On an early date, Dorothy took Rollie to her family farm to spend the evening caring for her young siblings. He survived the test and after they married, they had eight children in this order: Mike, Joyce, Marilyn, Kevin, Karen, Joanne, Mark, Cathy. A favorite childhood contest was to see who could say all eight names the fastest. Dorothy’s work ethic was epic within the family. Her floors were so clean the five-second rule was unnecessary. When she and Rollie bought a farm near Corcoran in 1969, she added farm chores to her nursing and child rearing. Family meals were home cooked, and often from food grown on the farm. She canned, she baked bread and she made memorable strawberry jam. And her gardens! Vegetables were necessary but flowers were her passion. She loved to show them off. In her retirement, Dorothy took great pride in her decorated cakes, from elaborate creations for family weddings to innumerable birthday cakes. The care she took to make each birthday child feel special remains a treasured memory for all. Dorothy is survived by Rollie and all her children, their spouses, and 15 grandchildren: Mike Terhaar (Steve, Dan, Amanda); Joyce Terhaar (Geoff Long, Connor, Casey); Marilyn Terhaar (Jim Wilson, Alexandra); Kevin Terhaar (MaryBeth Terhaar, Ashley, Nick, Logan); Karen Terhaar (Mike Taylor, Cameron, Gavin); Joanne Terhaar (Victor Andersen, Spencer, William); Mark Terhaar; Cathy Terhaar Daley (Brian Daley, Lauren, Evan), and seven great-grandchildren. She also is survived by 13 siblings: sisters Jean, Sharon, Pat, Marilyn, Diane, Michele and brothers Tom, Terry, Jim, Skip, Roger, Rick, John. She was proceeded in death by her parents, Leonard and Louise DeMarais; and siblings Joan and Dan. A visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday,Sept. 11 at Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Rogers, Minnesota. Visitation is at 9:30 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. service and noon lunch. Memorials may be made in her name to Food for the Poor, the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life or the Focus on Facilities fundraising drive for Mary, Queen of Peace.