Dorothy Mae (Saddler) (Anderson) Johnson, 94

Dorothy Mae (Saddler) (Anderson) Johnson, 94, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. She was born in Puposky, Minnesota, to Clyde and Grace (Durand) Saddler on Dec. 10, 1922. Dorothy grew up in Puposky, graduating from the Bemidji High School Class of 1939 with honors.

She married Jerome S. “Jerry” Anderson on Aug.14, 1939, in Puposky. In 1941, they moved to the Los Angeles area with their daughter where Jerry went to work for Lockheed Aircraft. They returned to Minnesota in 1943 as a family of four. In the spring of 1951, the family of then seven moved to Montana with a short stay in Bigfork, before their permanent stop in Kalispell. There they raised their six children and remained in Kalispell for the rest of their lives.

Dorothy began to work outside the home after the sixth child was born by scrubbing floors at Kalispell General Hospital, followed by nine years as a dental assistant, and then to Flathead Electric Co-op as a clerical worker, eventually retiring as secretary to the office manager. Even working full time while raising her family, she never missed school events or making treats for school parties, Brownies, and Cub Scouts. After more than 25 years of marriage, Jerry passed away April 19, 1966.

On July 3, 1970, Dorothy married Oscar T. Johnson from Rudyard, Montana. They were married for 33 years when he passed away Nov. 25, 2003.

She was very active at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and sang in the choir, belonged to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Women/Bible Study group, was a council member, and at one time was president of the congregation. She and her second husband Oscar were very active with the Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp near Lakeside. Their favorite pastime was to dance and they belonged to a senior group (some from as far away as Missoula) and had a dancing good time about once a month.

Dorothy is survived by three daughters, Nola (Curt) Rice of Kalispell, Penny (Jim) Lee of Spokane Valley, Washington, and Linda Duplessie of Phoenix; a son, Timothy (Rosemary) Anderson, of Spokane Valley; stepson, Douglas Johnson of Olympia, Washington; 17 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren; along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Dorothy was preceded in death by both her husbands, Jerry and Oscar; her oldest daughter, Jerralyn (Dick) Peters; her oldest son, Douglas (Bev) Anderson; her parents, Clyde and Grace Saddler; four sisters, Helen (Herbert) Norgaard, Lucille (Clyde) Stevens, Nola (Court) Kisser and Leona Saddler; an infant brother; and grandson Jeremy Rice.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug.12, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.Interment will be in the C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery next to her first husband Jerome S. (Jerry) Anderson.

Memorials may be sent to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 603 S. Main, Kalispell; Immanuel Lutheran Home, 185 Crestline Ave., Kalispell; Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp, 603 S. Main, Kalispell; or a charity of your choice.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and crematory is caring for the Johnson family.