Dorothy Louise Harrison

Dorothy Louise Harrison age 92 of Fredericksburg, IA, died Sunday, June 30, 2024, at Hillcrest Homes in Sumner.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 6, 2024, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg with Tanner Post officiating.

Interment will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery, Fredericksburg with DJ Harrison, Alex Harrison, Leroy Rogers, Edward Dawson, Bruce Knoll, and Mark Knoll serving as pallbearers. Jamie Lynn, Sierra, Trista, Jocelyn, and Sadie will be serving as Honorary Pallbearers.

Friends may greet the family one hour prior to the service, Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the church in Fredericksburg.

Born on July 31, 1931, in Fayette, Iowa, to Austin and Gladys (Schlatter) Rogers, Dorothy—a woman of unwavering kindness and devotion—embodied the spirit of a life well-lived.

Dorothy’s journey began as a young girl attending Bremer County country schools and later graduated from Fredericksburg High School. She was baptized in Hawkeye in 1931 and confirmed at St. John’s in Sumner in 1946, marking the start of a lifelong commitment to her faith and community. On July 29, 1954, Dorothy married her beloved husband, Raymond Harrison, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, a union that would be celebrated for its truest devotion to one another.

Together, Dorothy and Raymond built a life filled with love and hard work on their farms in Fredericksburg and Alpha, before eventually settling in Fredericksburg. Dorothy, a dedicated homemaker, tended to the daily chores and cooking with a grace that made the simplest of tasks seem like acts of love. She also worked outside the home as a grocery store clerk, at stork hatchery, and in restaurants as a waitress and cook, where her culinary skills delighted many.

Dorothy was affectionately known as the “cookie grandma,” a title she earned through the heartwarming tradition of baking cookies for family members who would eagerly plow her driveway after a snowfall, all vying for her delicious payment. Her Sunday morning cinnamon rolls were legendary, and her skills in the kitchen were only matched by her talent in the garden. Dorothy’s love for gardening and canning was a testament to her nurturing spirit and her ability to create beauty and sustenance from the earth.

Beyond her culinary and gardening prowess, Dorothy was integral to the operations of the family farm. She meticulously washed and cleaned the milkers, and her assistance with various farm chores was invaluable. Her partnership with Raymond was one of truest devotion; their affectionate goodbyes and joyful reunions were emblematic of a love that never waned. The hardest thing for them was time spent apart, but their reunions were filled with such youthful exuberance that they inspired all who witnessed their enduring bond.

Dorothy’s loving nature extended beyond her immediate family, which included her sons Danny and Dale Harrison, her daughter Patricia Patterson, and her late son Edward Harrison. She and Raymond, who preceded her in death, shared a love that was the foundation for their family’s strength and unity.

Those who knew Dorothy will remember her as a woman of profound kindness, thoughtfulness, and love. She lived her life with a generosity of spirit that touched everyone she met. Dorothy’s legacy is one of enduring love—a love that nurtured her family, enriched her friendships, and strengthened her community.

Dorothy is survived by her sons: Danny (JoAnn) Harrison of Fredericksburg and Dale (Joan) Harrison of Decorah; daughter Patricia (Victor) Patterson of Clermont; brother Paul (Darlys) Rogers of Brandon; daughter-in-law Bonnie Harrison of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law Wanda Rogers of Fredericksburg; grandchildren: DJ, Jamie, and Alex; great-grandchildren: Sierra, Trista, Jocelyn, Sadie, AJ, and Emma; great-great grandchild Kohen Kruse; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents Austin and Gladys (Schlatter) Rogers; husband Raymond Harrison; son Edward Harrison; granddaughter Celena Harrison; brothers: Robert Rogers, George Rogers, Gerald Rogers, and Ronald Rogers.

(563) 237-6212