Obituary of Dorothy Irene Holmes

Dorothy Irene Holmes, 74, passed into the arms of Jesus on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. She was born in Anoka, Minn., to Elmer and Myrtle (Amundson) McKay in 1941. She graduated from Denfeld High School in 1959. She received a BA degree in Sociology from UMD. Dorothy went on to work as a Social Worker for the American Lung Association in Minneapolis, Secretary and Real Estate Sales in Tucson Ariz., Secretary and Coordinator Assistant at Zalk-Joseph Co., Encoder for the Postal Service, Motor Carrier for the Duluth News-Tribune, Laborer for Piney Ridge Lumber Co., and Instructor and Creator of Piney Ridge Glass Works, all in Duluth. Dorothy was an avid reader; she loved creating stained glass suncatchers, windows, and lamps; she painted signs and did graphics for Gnesen Fire Engine No. 1, Holmes Bros. Excavating, Piney Ridge Lumber Co., and many others; she took art classes and painted landscapes; she could operate a bulldozer, loader, and backhoe. Dorothy loved music, especially singing barbershop; she sang in the Harbor Chords and North Shore Sounds Choruses and was a founding member of Ripple Effect, a women's barbershop double quartet. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother David McKay, and daughter-in-law Cynthia Olson. Dorothy is survived by her husband of 39 years, Ron; children, Dan (Janice) Wolfe, Jeff, Scott, and Shawn (Holly) Olson, Lorna Sjodin, Patty (Jim) Knight, Maureen, John (Denise), and Jim (Barb) Holmes, Kathy (Steve) Akervik; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister, Terryanne (Pete) Mascarenas; several nieces and nephews. VISITATION: 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. Celebration of Life on Saturday, April 9, 2016 in Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1505 Eklund Avenue, Duluth.