Dorothy Girvan

Dorothy Girvan, 88, died at Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center on March 16, 2005 in Odebolt, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 21 at Faith Lutheran Church in Odebolt, with burial in the Odebolt Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 20 at Farber and Otteman Funeral Home in Odebolt.

Dorothy Charlotte Carlson was born December 16, 1916 in rural Odebolt, the daughter of Sigurd and Anna (Anderson) Carlson. She attended country school on the corner of her parents' farm in Richland township, and graduated from Odebolt High School in 1934. She attended Drake University for one year, after which she taught country school at Cook #9 and Richland #3.

On August 15, 1937 she married Robert McCulloch Girvan. They began married life working as "hired hands" on several farms during the Depression, later moving to Odebolt, where Bob was a carpenter. Over the years they became parents to five children. They farmed the Carlson farm in Wheeler Township from 1957 until retiring to Odebolt. The couple enjoyed two trips to Scotland to visit Bob's mother and relatives. They were married for nearly 63 years.

Dorothy grew up in the Mission Covenant Church, later transferring to Faith Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday and Bible Schools, was a Sunday School Superintendent and belonged to women's groups. She spent her life serving her church, her family and others in the community.

Her passion for learning began at age four when she taught herself to read. A born teacher, she loved words for their expressive power and subtle nuances. She was a prolific letter and story-writer, as well as an avid reader. A beautiful person in body and spirit, Dorothy loved the natural world, and the seasons and rhythms of farm life. She enthusiastically taught her children about such things as wild flowers, birds, or constellations of the night sky. Among things Dorothy loved were her children and grandchildren, watching her wrens, autumn vistas, crossword puzzles, Donald Kaul columns, ice cream, picnics, reading and singing to children, sewing and embroidery, telling family stories, "pet" names, IPTV, James Herriot books, broadway musicals, and laughing at Little Lulu comics.

Survivors are her four children Gloria (Maurice) Sutton of Templeton, Iowa; Bonnie (Richard) Ekse of Ankeny, Iowa; Barbara (Donald) Horak of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Jim (Hillary) Girvan of West Branch, Iowa; nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren; her brother Wayne (Donna) Carlson of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bob in 2000, and her eldest son, Dr. Robert F. Girvan in 2001.