Dorothy M. Landin

Dorothy M. Landin, 96, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2022, at the Green Lea Senior Living in Mabel, Minn. 

Dorothy Mae was born to Tilford and Emma Josephine (Karlsbraaten) Housker on June 23, 1926, near Riceford, Minn. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour’s of Riceford and attended the Riceford School until high school. She graduated from Mabel High School in 1944.

Upon graduation, Dorothy moved to Rockford, Ill., where her friends Norma and Helen (Larson) lived and worked in the ammunition plant. She returned to Mabel and married Murrel Olson in 1946. They ran the Mobil station on the north end of Main Street until their divorce in 1953. At that time, Dorothy went to live with her only sister, Margaret, in La Crosse, Wis., while attending the La Crosse Beauty School. She worked in beauty salons in Columbus, Wis., and Rochester, Minn., before opening her own Vogue Beauty Salon in Lanesboro, Minn., and later in Mabel, Minn. It was there that she met a young body shop owner, Mel Landin. They were married on January 21, 1961, and spent 49 years together until Mel’s passing on July 12, 2010. To this union were Mel’s children Ronald and Judith, and together they had a daughter, Debra. Besides being a business owner and homemaker, Dorothy enjoyed gardening, quilting, sewing, knitting, and rosemaling. She and Mel liked to camp and did some traveling during retirement. A major accomplishment, at age 54, was receiving her diploma with honors from WWTI. After many years, she retired as a cook from the Mabel-Canton School District.

In 2001, after living in Mabel for nearly 50 years, Mel and Dorothy moved to Osceola, Wis., to be closer to Debbie’s family. Dorothy returned to Mabel in 2019 where she resided at the Meadows and most recently, Green Lea Senior Living.

Dorothy belonged to Mabel /First Lutheran and was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

She is survived by Ronald Landin, Judy Foss, and Debra (David) Landin-Cooper, sixgrandchildren and their families: Josiah and Peyton Casterton (JR), Noah Casterton, Shad Foss (Dawson), Troy and Lana Landin (Stephanie and Dusty and family, Nicole and family), Mark Landin (Caleb and Sam), Rachel Foss and family, Cass’s daughters and family, nephews Dale Harkness, Don (Trish) Harkness and family, and Dave (Connie) Housker and family; nieces Cherryl Housker, Nancy (Bob) Leistikow, Mary Klimesh, Mary Harkness and family, and Donna Harkness; great-nieces Kate (Pat) Walsh and family and Sara (Abhijat) Pochanayon and family; and sister-in-law Mary Henrikson.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband Mel, grandsons Wade and Cass Foss, brothers Raymond (Lois Peterson) Housker, Jerome (Julia Glasrud) Housker, Paul (Loyes Ramlo) Housker, and Gerald (Ardyce Flaten) Housker; sister Margaret and Forest Harkness, nephews Darryl Harkness and John Klimesh; and niece Sonja Lien.

A special thank you to family and friends whom have touched her life. Dorothy’s family appreciated all the love, care, kindness, and compassion given to mom at the Meadows, Green Lea Senior Living, Winneshiek Medical Center, and Moments Hospice.

Our thanks to Mengis Funeral Home for assisting with the arrangements. As per her wishes, Dorothy will be cremated and a private family interment will be held at a later date.