Darlene "Dee Dee" Jorgenson

Darlene "Dee Dee" Jorgenson

October 24, 1939 - March 6, 2025

Darlene Delores "Dee Dee" Jorgenson died peacefully in her sleep on March 6, 2025, at the age of 85.

She was born on October 24, 1939, to Grover and Agnes Dodds in Minneapolis. She and Austin moved to Rochester in 1963. Married for 65 years, she built a life centered around family, friends, and neighbors. Dee Dee and the other Manor Moms raised their children together, creating a neighborhood filled with joy and laughter.

She spent many years dedicating her time to helping others, volunteering with Bear Creek Services and Hiawatha Homes. While raising her children, she worked at International Transport and supported Austin's career with IBM and his involvement with the Kiwanis Club. Her greatest joy was the people in her life, through summers spent welcoming all to Lake Vermilion, gathering with their card club for over 50 years, and sharing laughter over Wednesday coffee with her Coffee Ladies. Her hobbies included knitting, bird watching, playing games, and visiting with neighbors.

Dee Dee will be remembered for her warmth, humor, compassion, and unconditional love for those around her. She will be greatly missed by her doting husband, Austin; her children, Scott (Lisa) and Sue (Tony); her grandchildren, Erika, Spencer, Sina, and Sara (Bob); and is especially proud of being a great grandma to Nikolai. Dee Dee included her dear friend, Darlene Mielke, as a part of her family. Dee Dee was preceded in death by her only brother David "Pink" Dodds and son-in-law Tom Lee.

Dee Dee's memory lives on in the kindness she showed, the relationships she built, and the love she so freely gave. A celebration to remember Dee Dee will tentatively be held on Saturday June 28th at Maxon Family Cremation and Life Celebrations. Final details will be published in June. To honor her generous spirit, Dee Dee requested that memorials be made to Hiawatha Homes.

The family thanks and appreciates the care and compassion of the Mayo Clinic and Seasons Hospice teams.