Robert Dotseth
Robert E. Dotseth, 91, of Decorah died Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Wellington Place in Decorah. Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 9 at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.
Friends may call from 11:30 a.m. until time of services Saturday at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.
Robert Eugene Dotseth was born November 9, 1929 in Waukon, the son of John and Millie (Nylund) Dotseth. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon and graduated from Waukon High School in 1947. After graduating from high school, he farmed with his father and his brother, John, in Frankville township before entering the U.S. Air Force from 1950 until 1954. While he was in the service, he played hockey.
After the service he came back to the Waukon area to farm with his brother, John. April 21, 1957, he married Patricia Miene at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Postville. They bought out his brother and continued to farm along with their son, Bill, in Frankville township, raising beef cows and crops. Bob also did some trucking for himself and other farmers in the area.
He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, the Oldsmobile club of America, and a birthday club that would get together to socialize. Bob restored Oldsmobiles, enjoyed attending car shows, going on car cruises, parades, and attending swap meets. He also restored a Case IH tractor that he would take to tractor pulls. Bob enjoyed going to stock car races, dancing to polka, mowing his yard, pheasant hunting when he was younger, and taking his family to the Minnesota State Fair for vacation. Bob also traveled every other year to gather with his Air Force buddies.
Survivors include his two sons, Eric (Becky) Dotseth Burlington and Bill (Linda) Dotseth of Decorah; four grandchildren: Hannah (Rob) Sheehy and their daughter, Nora; Zachary (Kaytlyn) Dotseth and their son, Kyle; Jarad (Caitlyn) Dotseth and their son, Oliver; and Allison (Seth) Christen; and three sisters-in-law, Erma Jean Swenson, Karla Miene and Karen Miene.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patricia, who died in 2016; a sister, Jeanne (Norman) Wheeler; a brother, John “Tex” (Ruth) Dotseth; and four brothers-in-law, Harold (Sharon) Miene, Willard and Wayne Miene, and Marlin Swenson.
Casketbearers are Rob Sheehy, Seth Christen, Allison Christen and Dave Wheeler.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
