Dorothy Ann Grasmon, 99 of North Oaks, died January 7, 2026, at her home. A memorial service and fellowship will be held at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, February 3 at Waverly Gardens Chapel in North Oaks. Burial will take place at Cloverleaf Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Parkinson’s Foundation, cancer research and support groups, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Dorothy was born July 7, 1926, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, to Otto and Alvina (Hunnerkoch) Hagen, Dorothy graduated from Redwood Falls High School and Miss Wood’s Kindergarten-Primary Training School in Minneapolis before marrying Kermit Grasmon in 1946. They lived in Bird Island, Fairfax, on Green Lake and in Willmar and had two children, Mark and Mary, before divorcing in 1963.

She began her teaching career in 1947 in Bird Island. Later, Dorothy attended St. Cloud State University to further her education while at the same time starting Spicer’s first all-day kindergarten program. Dorothy taught in New London-Spicer Schools for 25 years, influencing hundreds of area children. After retiring in 1988, she actively volunteered with many organizations until her health prevented her from continuing. She was an election judge and worked with United Way. She served in all offices of West Central Retired Educators, including holding the position of membership chair for 19 years. She started the Parkinson’s Support Group in Willmar in 1993 and led it for 11 years. In 1997, Dorothy was awarded the Home Town Pride Award by the Willmar Convention & Visitors Bureau for coordinating the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota convention. She was a longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar. She moved to the Twin Cities in 2018.

Dorothy had an adventurous spirit, becoming a pilot and taking her first solo flight in 1963. She was an avid sports fan, with a special love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. She loved nature and being outdoors, and fishing and bird watching were among her favorite activities. She enjoyed travel and Elderhostel trips in retirement and was a life-long avid reader, logging every book she read alphabetically by author and remaining a loyal newspaper subscriber until her death. She loved chocolate chip cookies and ate ice cream every day.

As she wrote in 2025 Christmas cards, she was “confined to a wheelchair and legally blind, but shooting for 100 and sharp as a tack.” Dorothy will be remembered for her storytelling, quick wit, curiosity and resilience.

She is survived by her children, Mark Grasmon and Mary Daley; granddaughters, Erin (Jeff) Bradley, Karen Grasmon (Tim Sandvik) and Sara Grasmon (Reid Vernon); grandsons, Nicholas (Mahsa Nouri) Daley and Luke Daley; great-granddaughter Leona Daley; and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Harlan “Bud” and sister Hilda; son-in-law Paul Daley, daughter-in-law Sonia Grasmon; and her former husband Kermit Grasmon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Parkinson’s Foundation, cancer research and support groups, or a charity of the donor’s choice.