Viola Marie (Seefeldt) Dohrer, age 95 of Westbrook, passed away Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Westbrook Good Samaritan Care Center. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 5, 2025 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at the church. Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Willmar.  Stephens Funeral Service – Westbrook Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Viola Marie (Seefeldt) Dohrer was born June 1, 1930 to Paul and Alice (Putzier) Seefeldt at her home near Odessa, Minnesota. She was baptized on June 22, 1930 at a Lutheran church in Odessa. In 1943, Viola was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Nassau. She grew up during the depression. They had food and clothes since her mom had a garden and sewed most of their clothes from chicken feed sacks. Viola’s mom raised chickens, ducks and geese. Her dad farmed and raised a few cows and pigs. In 1936, the family moved to a farm between Revillo, SD and Nassau. She went to a rural school for grades 1^st-8^th. There was no electricity, they used outhouses and all drank water from the same dipper. In the winter, Viola’s dad took them to school in the sleigh pulled by two horses. In the Seefeldt household, Saturday was known as cleaning day. Everyone used heated water to bathe and had to use the same water in the tub. Then Saturday evening the family headed to town to sell cream and eggs as well as to buy groceries. Once in a long while, they got a dime for a movie and a nickel for ice cream. Viola graduated in 1948. She attended summer school for ten weeks in Aberdeen, SD, because teachers were needed. She taught in a rural school and attended college each summer. On June 20, 1954, Viola and John Dohrer were married. Their daughter Wanda Ellen was born on July 26, 1955 and she was the first grandchild. The couple later divorced in 1967. Viola taught school in several places in South Dakota, Bishop Whipple Indian School and Westbrook. She retired in 1993 after 39 years of teaching in elementary classrooms. Following her retirement, Viola continued living in Westbrook. In the summer, flower gardens were a big source of her enjoyment. She had many hobbies, but she especially enjoyed embroidery, reading, ceramics and stamping cards. Viola was known for her daily walks and visits to the fitness center. Trinity Lutheran Church was important to her. There, she served on the church council, visited shut ins, was a member of circle and participated in bible study and quilting. She also served as an election judge. Viola loved watching her two grandsons Jonathan and Eric Lind grow up and start their own families. Becoming a great grandma was one of the greatest joys of her life, especially when one has her name as her middle name. Viola moved to Peterson Estates and was there two years until health issues caused her to move to Good Samaritan Care Center in Westbrook a year ago. She became ill and after a short stay in the hospital, she passed away on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Good Samaritan at the age of 95 years.

Viola is survived by her daughter Wanda (James) Lind of Moose Lake; grandson Jonathan (Melina) Lind; great granddaughter Signe Viola all of Duluth; grandson Eric (Danielle) Lind; great granddaughters: Elena, Brea, and Ada James all of Lakeville; sister Shirley Drobny of Humboldt, SD; sisters-in-law: Kathleen Seefeldt of Woodbridge, VA, Janet Seefeldt of Sioux Falls, SD, and Gayle Seefeldt of Willmar; many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends. She is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Alice, three brothers Herbert, Robert, and Roger, and brother-in-law John Drobny.