Diane Dobbs, 84

Diane Clarice Marie Dobbs passed away peacefully at her home in Indus, Minnesota, surrounded by family after a courageous battle with stomach cancer.

Diane was born on August 24, 1941, to Mavis and Niel Dufrene in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  After her parents divorced, Diane moved to International Falls with Mavis when she was four years old.  Mavis married Gerald Solo when Diane was six, so most of her childhood was spent on Gerald’s farm in Manitou, Minnesota; Diane considered him her father.   Gerald and Mavis had six children together, so Diane grew up quickly helping to raise her half-siblings.

Diane knew Lawrence Dobbs as the farms they grew up on were only seven miles apart, but she did not date until the spring of her senior year at Indus High School.  They married on June 27, 1959, five weeks after being engaged near the end of her senior year.  Mom always said, “When you know, you know!”  Their first son was born a year later, and by age 23, the family was complete with three children all under the age of 4.

Family was Diane’s top priority.  Every multi-day trip she ever made away from the farm involved visiting family members.  Diane kept a display of all her descendants’ birthdays prominently displayed in the living room, and birthdays weren’t complete without being serenaded with “Happy Birthday to you” from Diane and Lawrence.  

Diane was a farm wife for 66 years, in charge of everything inside the house and helping with lambing, calving, haying, and everything else needed outside the house.  She also really enjoyed her hobbies of gardening, baking, quilting, and berry picking.   Diane ran the Indus Post Office for a few years before it closed in the 70’s and helped out briefly at the Birchdale and Loman post offices as well.

Diane was an active member of Birchdale United Congregational Church, where she and Lawrence were married. She taught Sunday School for several years and served in the Ladies' Aid.  She worked countless church suppers where she always donated freshly baked bread and pies.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Richard Dufrene and Doug Solo, sister Janice Danielson, sister-in-law Lorraine Brolsma, and brother-in-law Robert Dobbs.

Diane is survived by her husband Lawrence Dobbs; children John (Mia) Dobbs, Steven (Sara) Dobbs, Sharlyn (Byron) Treangen; grandchildren Austin (Jessica) Dobbs, Aren (Andrea) Dobbs, Tonya (David) Michelson, Nicole (partner Brandon) Dobbs, Danielle (partner Dillon) Dobbs, Kaitlyn (Brian) Cummings, Byron (Kiera) Treangen; 10 great grandchildren; sisters Cindy (Chris) Balaski, Judy (Tom) Anderson, Cheryl Rehs, and Nancy Sholes; brothers Allen (Trudy) Solo, Robbie (Jody) Solo; brothers-in-law Duane (Andrea) Dobbs, Roger Danielson; sister-in-law Leata Dobbs; and several beloved nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held Saturday, October 4th, at 10:30 am at Birchdale United Congregational Church.  The funeral will be at 11:00 am, and a luncheon will follow at the Birchdale Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Psalm FM Christian radio KBHW or the Minnesota Cancer Alliance.

Condolences may be left at www.greenlarsen.com.