Dorothy Josephine (Hassa) Kopischke

Dorothy Kopischke, 100, of Bemidji, MN died Saturday, February 9, 2019 at Cornerstone Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Bagley.

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 16, 2019 at St. Philips Catholic Church with Fr. Bryan Kajawa officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Turtle River. Arrangements were entrusted to the Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bemidji.

Dorothy Josephine was born May 6, 1918 the daughter of Leo and Josephine Hassa.  She was born and raised in Leaf River Township, Wadena County.  She went to school at Leaf River School District #53 graduating from the 8th grade. 

Following school, she worked for Peterson and Biddick Company for 17 years, candling eggs, selling garden seed and cleaning grain bags. 

She married Edward Kopischke on June 23, 1952 in Wadena, MN.  She moved to Turtle River with Ed living in a 14 X 16  1 room house.  From their union 3 daughters were born.  Linda, Carol and Joleen.  The home became quite crowded, so Ed built a larger home for the family. 

She was a homemaker, raising the children and doing farm chores.  Her passion was her garden.  She raised, picked and sold raspberries for 45 years.  In 1979 she and Ed picked and sold 1,720 quarts of berries.  In addition to the raspberries, they raised and sold strawberries, potatoes and corn.  She always has a large flower garden, raising lots and lots of flowers.  She helped with driving the tractor during the harvest season. 

She was quite a good seamstress.  She made all her daughters clothing, including Carol’s wedding dress.  She taught all her children to sew.  She also enjoyed embroidery, crocheting and knitting. 

Ed passed away in Aug 6th 1981.  She remained on the farm.  She took over the job of hauling in the firewood each fall to fuel the wood furnace. 

She moved to Bemidji in 2000, buying a home on Calihan Avenue.  She continued to raise flowers.  In 2013 she moved into Autumn Hills Assisted Living.  She enjoyed doing crafts and playing bingo.  On May 6, 2018 she celebrated her 100th Birthday.  She resided at Autumn Hills for 5 ½ years. 

In January of 2019, she moved into Cornerstone Nursing in Bagley.  She passed away on February 6, 2019. 

Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Linda Battocchio of Redding Ct., Carol Perish (Jim) of Bemidji, Mn and Joleen Larson (Jerald) of Bovey,MN.  Gandchildren, Dan Perish, Mike Perish, Jerry Larson, Ava Battocchio and David Battocchio and Great Grandson Ryker Larson. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Husband Ed, Brother Paul, Sisters Irene and Eva and son-in-law George Battocchio.  

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