Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids for Winnie Doroff, age 88, who passed away Aug. 27, 2024, at Sanford Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota. The Rev. Thomas Knoblach will officiate and burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids and also one hour prior to the services Wednesday at the church. Parish prayers will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Winnie was born June 17, 1936, in Eden Valley to Leo and Erma (Schreiner) Theisen. She married the love of her life, Roland “Rollie” Doroff Aug. 21, 1954, at St Anthony Catholic Church in St Cloud. During their 60 years of marriage, Winnie and Rollie resided and raised their four children in Sauk Rapids and proudly owned and operated the Sauk Rapids Herald together for 45 years of that time.
Winnie’s positive outlook on life and unwaveringly caring and giving spirit led her to volunteer throughout her life. A Benton County Historical Society “Women Making History” honoree, Winnie dedicated her time to fund drives for cancer, heart, and leukemia societies, to Lioness eye and ear screenings at local schools, and to Country Manor Beauty Shop and other local nursing homes, as well as caring for and assisting many relatives and friends.
Winnie enjoyed traveling, bowling, camping and, most of all, spending time with her family, of whom she was intensely proud. She possessed an uncommon kindness and dedication to her family and community and a warmth that endeared her to anyone she met. The old adage “to know her is to love her” certainly applied to Winnie, but saying “to know her is to be loved by her” was equally true.
Survivors include her children, Gary (Connie) Doroff of Verndale, Stephen Doroff of Sauk Rapids, Lynne (John) Sernett of Prior Lake, and Karen (Jim) Johnson of Shakopee; siblings, Joan (ElRoy) Angen of Andover and Daryl (Sharon) Theisen of St. Cloud; and grandchildren, Cory (Tim) Denny, Jacqueline (Shane) Finck, Sarah (Rob) Doroff-Svobodny, Emily Doroff, Grace Johnson, Lindsey Johnson, Jack (Alyssa) Sernett, and Hannah (Holand) Fenstermacher, 11 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Rollie in 2015; and siblings, Mercedes “Cede” Leverson. Ken Schreiner, and Donna (Bob) Habiger.
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