Dorothy Hurd

FUNERAL SERVICES : 11:00 A.M. on Friday, October 12, 2012 at Jones-Pearson Funeral Home.VISITATION : One hour prior to the service on Friday.INTERMENT : Greenwood Cemetery in Park Rapids, MNSURVIVORS : Her brother, Lester Severs, of Dumont, IA; daughter, Lu Ann Hurd-Lof (Steve) of Akeley, MN; son, James N. of Eldora, IA; grandchildren, Elizabeth Wolfe of Petaluma, CA; Abe Hurd of Eugene, OR; and Stephanie Lof of Akeley, MN; two great-grandchildren, Dahlia and Owen Hurd, and six nieces and nephews. Dorothy I. HurdJanuary 16, 1913 ~ October 8, 2012 Dorothy was born to Oather E. and Anna M. Severs Jan. 16, 1913 at Chester, IA and died Oct. 8, 2012 at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids. She grew up on her parents" farm near Randalia, IA and graduated from Randalia Consolidated High School in 1930. She received three diplomas from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA: one for completing a two-year Normal Course in 1932, one in Public School Music in 1933, and one from the School of Business in June 1934. After graduation, she taught at Thornton and Hanlontown, IA, for 11 years.On June 17, 1946, she married James N. Hurd at her parents" farm at Clarksville, IA. They lived on farms near Northwood and St. Ansgar, IA, when Dorothy went back to teaching in 1953. She taught at Little Cedar for one year and then at Clarksville where her parents and brothers lived. In 1960, they moved to Eldora and she taught at Steamboat Rock, IA until she retired in 1976. During her 33-year teaching career, Dorothy not only taught vocal music, often K-12, but also Latin, English, shorthand, bookkeeping and math. She enjoyed teaching music the most and produced Christmas programs, operettas and other productions. At Clarksville, she taught piano lessons privately at her home. A highlight was when she and another teacher at Steamboat Rock produced "You"re a Good Man, Charlie Brown."After she retired, she and Jim lived in Eldora, moved to Walker, MN, then to Harrison, AR and finally to Park Rapids. When they lived at Walker, she was a member of the Sweet Adelines. In Park Rapids, Dorothy was active at Riverside United Methodist Church, the church choir, United Methodist Women and Friendship Circle. She also was a member of the National Society of Arts and Letters, North Country Museum of Arts, St. Joseph"s Hospital Auxiliary, Friends of the Library and other organizations. Surviving are her brother, Lester Severs, of Dumont, IA; daughter, Lu Ann Hurd-Lof (Steve) of Akeley, MN; son, James N. of Eldora, IA; grandchildren, Elizabeth Wolfe of Petaluma, CA; Abe Hurd of Eugene, OR; and Stephanie Lof of Akeley, MN; two great-grandchildren, Dahlia and Owen Hurd, and six nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, in 1999; an infant sister, Sabbin Mary Severs; brother, Warren Severs, in 1986; and grandson, Shawn, in 2002. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 12 at Jones-Pearson Funeral Home with Reverend Lee Kantonen officiating. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home. Organist will be Linda Szuszitzky. Congregational hymns will be "How Great Thou Art" and "Nearer My God To Thee".