Dorothy Rossing, 94, passed away peacefully at home in Edina, Minnesota on Oct 2, 2023. Born in Minneapolis to Arthur and Thelma Rosen, Dorothy Rossing is survived by her brother A. William Rosen, cousin John Rosen, daughters Karen (Elliott) Grandall of Spring Valley MN, Barbara Rossing (Lauren Johnson) of Leavenworth WA, Jane (Jim) Frankenberger of West Lafayette IN, and Mary Rossing (Joel Walinski) of Spooner WI; grandsons David Grandall, Soren Grandall, two great grandsons, niece Carolyn (John) Sandgren, nephews Christopher Rosen, David, Thomas, and John Rossing, great nieces Liz and Sarah Rossing; and preceded in death by her son Erik Rossing.

Growing up in Sioux City, Iowa, Dorothy earned a B.S. degree in food chemistry at Iowa State University and M.S. in nutrition at Northern Illinois University. With former husband Thomas Rossing, she raised her five children in Northfield, Minnesota and DeKalb, Illinois. She coordinated the Women, Infants, & Children nutrition program for DeKalb County, and loved teaching about nutrition while helping women and children. She retired in 1995 and moved to Minneapolis.

Science, curiosity, and love of learning were central to Dorothy’s life. She started a victory garden during World War II, and continued to be an avid gardener throughout her life. Her children remember that she taught them to do math at the grocery store by figuring out the price per ounce of food items. She volunteered to teach 4th graders how to build and understand electrical circuit boards.

She loved travel, visiting her daughter in Africa several times, as well as 40 international trips and camping across the U.S. into her 70s.  She went to Zihuatanejo, Mexico every January for 20 years with family and friends including her special friend Jim Wiggins with whom she shared much joy and laughter. She participated in international trips with Elderhostel (8 trips), Heifer Project, Lutheran World Relief, and groups from her church to the Holy Land and Galapagos Islands.  

Active and athletic throughout her life, Dorothy was a cheerleader in high school and at Iowa State, had a beautiful jackknife dive, and could do a cartwheel into her 70s.  She loved Senior Tennis and played many hours each week. She placed 4th in mixed doubles in the National Senior Games in the 85-and-over age group. She invited guests to play ping-pong in her basement, and usually surprised them by winning. When she moved to 7500 York, she chaired the Fun and Games Committee.

Dorothy welcomed and supported refugees and immigrants. Many have stayed in her home when they were in need, from a Cambodian refugee family in 1981, to Elise Adekpe and her family, and other members of the Togo community. Children of several families consider her “grandma”. Seeing the need that many immigrants have for short-term loans, she worked with her congregation to set up a Togo Loan Fund and managed it for several years. The family invites you to join them in honoring her dedication to supporting immigrants as they establish their new lives in the U.S. through donations to the Dorothy Rossing Fund for Immigrants and Refugees at the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (PO Box 17467 Baltimore, MD 21297-1467; lirs.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/dorothy-rossing-fund/ ).

Published on October 4, 2023