Dorothy Elise (Aakvik) Brusven

Dorothy Elise Brusven was born on March 9, 1925, in Clarkfield, Minnesota, to Elmer and Martha (Hatlen) Aakvik. She was baptized and confirmed in the Clarkfield Lutheran Church. She graduated from the Clarkfield High School in 1943 and went on to school and graduated from the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dorothy worked three years as a cashier and bookkeeper at Charter Loan Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota; one year as secretary at the Durkee Atwood Company in Minneapolis, and then one year as a secretary at the Clarkfield Bank.

On September 4, 1949, she married Anton Brusven and they made their home in Normania Township where they farmed. They had four sons: Thomas, Steven, Jeffrey, and Edward.

On August 4, 1979, a tornado went through their farm taking down buildings and damaging the house. They moved to Hanley Falls, Minnesota and built a new home on the farm.

Dorothy was a 4-H Leader for many years and was a member of St. Lucas Lutheran Church of Cottonwood. She loved gardening and every year had a big garden and canned and froze her vegetables. Dorothy raised chickens, helped on the farm, and had lots of flowers. In the winter months she would spend time quilting, making many beautiful quilts. Dorothy spent hours cooking for her family as well as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and block layers as it seemed every two years Anton would put up a new building. She was known to have said, “All I’ve done since getting married is cook for men.” Dorothy was always making sure the men were fed and in addition to three square meals a day, would always take lunch to the field mid-morning and again mid-afternoon.

On Friday, June 24th, 2022, at the age of 97, Dorothy passed away at the Clarkfield Care Center. She was preceded in death by her husband, Anton; parents, Elmer and Martha Aakvik, and an infant sister, Marie.

Dorothy is survived by her four sons: Thomas (Kris) Brusven of Montevideo, Steven (Nancy) Brusven of Cottonwood, Jeffrey Brusven of Clarkfield, and Edward (Kim) Brusven of Soldotna, Alaska; nine grandchildren: Patricia, Emily, Corey, Lesley, Jeremy, Ashley, Danielle, Erin, and Kalee; nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

Blessed be her memory.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 8th, 2022 at 1 PM at St. Lucas Lutheran Church, rural Cottonwood, followed by the funeral service at 2 PM. Interment to follow in the church cemetery. 

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