Dorothy Marie (Friedrichsen) Thornhill

Dorothy M. Thornhill, age 88, of Galva, passed away on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at the Good Samaritan Society of Holstein.  A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the St. John’s Lutheran Church of Galva with Rev. Paul D. Egger officiating.  Burial will be at the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service starting at 10:00 AM at the church. 

Dorothy Marie Friedrichsen Thornhill was born on her parent’s farm one mile west of Holstein, Iowa on January 7, 1931.  She attended Holstein Community School where she especially enjoyed playing on the girls basketball team.  She graduated in 1949.  In 1952 she married Darwin “Corky” Thornhill of Ida Grove.  Corky’s military service took him to Germany and Dorothy joined him there in November of 1952.  They stayed there until early November of 1953 when Dorothy came home and lived with her parents until Corky returned in February of 1954.  The couple moved to Ida Grove until 1957 when they moved to Galva.  Dorothy owned and managed the Sun Set Inn Café for a year and a half and later worked at a local grocery store.  In 1962 she began working as a cook at the Galva Public School, becoming head cook in 1964.  In March of 1965, Dorothy and Corky moved to Tucson, AZ.  While there, Dorothy worked at a bakery, a restaurant, and as a school cook for 12 years.  In 1993 the Thornhills moved back to Galva, buying the same house they had sold when they left Galva many years before.  Upon returning, Dorothy worked at the restaurant as Corky’s health allowed.  He passed away on October 9, 2005.  Dorothy remained in her home until her health required her to move to Char-Mac in Holstein on September 10, 2015, then to the Good Samaritan Society in January of 2018.

Dorothy was a hard worker all of her life but also knew how to have fun and make others feel remembered and appreciated.  Some family members were able to visit her and Corky when they lived in Arizona and they were always welcomed and well entertained.  Despite her long hours of work she was good about remembering family and friends with cards and notes.  She would often send nieces and nephews birthday cards that contained paper money ‘folded into a bowtie.’  She enjoyed handwork, especially embroidery and crochet, and would generously gift nieces, nephews and family friends with a set of ‘Days of the Week’ dishtowels, a pair of pillowcases or dresser scarves.  Dorothy enjoyed gardening and cooking and excelled at canning asparagus, which she also shared with family and friends.  She enjoyed doing puzzles, even those challenging 1000 piece puzzles, inviting anyone visiting to help out.  Her love of family extended to her community demonstrated by her service to her church, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Galva, the Galva American Legion Dibbern Post #454 Auxiliary, and serving as an election official in Galva for several years.  Her thoughtful ways and quick smile will be missed by all who knew her.

Those who remain to mourn her passing include two brothers and their wives, Clifford and Florence Friedrichsen and Richard “Dick” and Shirley Friedrichsen; fourteen Friedrichsen nieces and nephews; and many in-laws, friends and neighbors.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Marie Friedrichsen; husband, Darwin Thornhill; her sister and her husband, Pearl and Ervin Henrichsen; her brother and his wife, Robert “Bob” and Lois Friedrichsen; a nephew, Mark Friedrichsen; a niece, Joyce Friedrichsen and many in-laws.

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