Lorraine "Dolly" Selma Wosmek

Lorraine “Dolly” S. Wosmek, age 101, of Willmar passed away Friday evening, August 5, at Bethesda Grand Care Center in Willmar.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, August 10, at Bethel Lutheran Church.  Interment will be at Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church on Wednesday.  Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com

Dolly was born May 24, 1921, in Cosmos, Minnesota to Alfred and Jennie Maude (Jacobson) Olson.  She was baptized, confirmed, and completed her education in Cosmos.  She married Joseph Wosmek in 1945.  The couple lived up north in McGregor, MN before later moving back to the area, having lived in Atwater and Lake Lillian.  The couple had two children, Ruth and Donald, before later divorcing. 

Dolly, the ever-social individual, loved hosting parties and serving others.  As a loyal attendee of Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar, she was known for always pouring coffee downstairs in Luther Hall.  For family and close friends, she gave gifts- the most thoughtful and unique items that loved ones didn’t even know that they needed but loved.

A favorite pastime of Dolly’s was a good shopping trip, spending the day from store opening to closing, shopping and then spending the night at a motel in earlier years to hotels in more recent years.  Being busy and on the go was always a priority for her. Well in her 90s, she was known to still be driving her white Dodge Dakota pick-up truck and still climbing ladders to paint.  Her walls in her homes tell the story of how much she enjoyed painting…..many, many different layers of paint and colors through the years.

In her 80s and 90s, she loved to travel with Jenith and Cliff wherever they went, she was always game to take a trip!  She said it certainly beat sitting at home looking out the window.  Cliff and Jenith lovingly brought Dolly on numerous road trips to the cabin/cottage in Zavalla, Texas, Michigan, and Mackinaw Island.  Cliff knew all the nice stops to make so Dolly had the opportunity to shop at fancy truck stops along the way buying herself beautiful dolls and souvenirs.  Once in Texas, there was clean up and tidying up the cabin which Dolly loved to help with.  When a break was needed, Cliff would take Dolly, Jenith and Kari to the stores in Luftin for more shopping as he waited patiently for them.  Of course, the shopping day ended with a trip going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant where Dolly enjoyed the tortillas which she called lefse.  Dolly would always ask when they were going to go to Texas again.  She continued to ask this while in the nursing home. 

Great granddaughter, Sarah, held a very special place in Dolly’s heart.  She loved to shop with Sarah and her girlfriends taking many shopping trips to the Mall of America which always included an overnight stay numerous times. Even at her age, Dolly could keep up with Sarah and her friends.  She was always game for more fun!

She also came to enjoy camping at Fishtrap RV Resort in Cushing.  She loved going there and kept busy keeping the deck clean and always helping with the dishes.  She enjoyed many times there with Jenith, Cliff, Kari, Jenny, Sarah, Aaron, Lori, Rod, Brayden and Mason.  She loved golf cart rides around the campground and down to the lake.  She also thoroughly enjoyed the Atwater Threshing Days attending each year and liked to help with clean up of the grounds, buildings and ice cream stand.

Following a stroke in September 2018, Dolly spent her last years at Bethesda Grand Care Center.  We take comfort in knowing that our beloved Dolly is now with her thirteen siblings, her favorites being Esther, Freida and Luggy, her daughter Ruth and her parents and can now resume her busy bee lifestyle in Heaven.

Dolly was surrounded by many who loved her and will miss her dearly.  She is survived by her son, Donald Wosmek of Brooten, grandchildren Patricia Laidig of Willmar, Mary (and Roger) Barnes of Willmar, Jeff (and Christine) Wosmek of Brooten, Jared (and Beth) Wosmek of Willmar, special great granddaughter Sarah (and Aaron) of Kenyon, whom she lovingly helped raise from infancy to her teenage years, and many other great grandchildren. 

Along with many special nieces and nephews, Jenith Benson (and Cliff Ulferts) who was like a daughter to Dolly and a lifelong travel partner whom Dolly lived with in her later years before her stroke, Joyce Rohner Deering, Maynard, Melvin and Harlan Rohner.   Great nieces Lori (and Rod) Mogard and Kari Benson.  Lori and Rod’s boys, Brayden 19 yrs. and Mason 17 yrs. held a special place in Dolly’s heart.  She loved to make them cakes with homemade powder sugar icing which they loved!  And special great niece, Kari, who Dolly doted on, always willingly caring for Kari if Jenith had something going on.  Later when Dolly was in the nursing home, Kari returned the favor while doting on Dolly and visiting her many, many times a week at Bethesda.  When Jenith and Kari would arrive to visit, Kari would make a bee line for Dolly’s room each time, brightening Dolly’s days.  Jennifer Deering, Joyce’s daughter, also brightened Dolly’s days sharing her artwork with Dolly often.

Dolly was preceded in death by her thirteen siblings, most recently her last surviving beloved sister, Esther Rohner in 2015 and another special sister, Freida Fischer around 1986, a favorite brother, Luggy and her daughter, Ruth, in 2021.