Dorothy Traeholt
Dorothy Traeholt passed away on Sept. 28, 2023, in Billings, Mont., at the age of 91.
Dorothy was the sixth of seven children born to Irl and Caroline “Carrie” Cosby in Spokane, Wash., on Jan. 21, 1932. She graduated top of her class at North Central in Spokane in 1950.
While working in Spokane. she met and married Arne Traeholt. Soon after, they moved to Whitefish, Mont., where they started a business and started a family. In 1954, they moved to Wolf Point. The vast, treeless prairie of eastern Montana was such a stark contrast to the lush, garden-like state in which she grew up that she made Arne promise he would not bury her there! But it didn’t take Dorothy long to fall in love with the people and the area of Wolf Point! They would live there for 58 years.
Dorothy was active in her church, teaching Sunday school and leading women’s Bible studies. She was a volunteer at Frontier Elementary School and Friends of the Library. She bowled and golfed on women’s leagues, and, when her children were all in school, she went to work for Arne’s accounting practice.
After she received a sewing machine from her father- in-law, Dorothy wasted no time in mastering the machine and honing her designing skills. Besides school clothes, she made prom dresses and cheerleading and twirling uniforms for her four daughters. Not one to sit idly, Dorothy spent quiet hours crocheting, embroidering and doing other needlework.
Dorothy’s sharp wit and cleaver way with words was known to many in the poems she wrote for friends and family, commemorating special — and not-so-special (toilet paper shortage) — occasions. When she moved to The Springs Assisted Living in Billings, her writing talent was kept active recording the events and staff at her new home. The faculty even collected several of her poems and had them published. Her mind was kept keen by crossword and jigsaw puzzles and she remained clear-minded until the very end.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Arne; her son, Alan; her parents; and siblings.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Karen Traeholt of Bismarck, N.D.; daughter, Kay (Robert) Snyder of Burnett, Texas; daughter, Karen (Gary) Jeide of Wolf Point; daughter, Kim (Tim) Klasna of Lambert; daughter, Karla Traeholt (Robin Martinez) of Billings; 11 wonderful grandchildren; and 15 perfect great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 6, at First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Interment was at Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point.
(Paid Obituary)
