Dorothy Marion Welter (Korby) was born on the family farm on September 29, 1936 to Selma (Blom) Korby and Edward Korby. She was baptized in the Apostolic Lutheran Church and confirmed there in 1951. In 1953, she was the first waitress at the “new” New York Mills Dairy Bar. She graduated from New York Mills High School with the Class of 1954. Five days later, she began to work as a secretary at the Merickel Lumber Mill in Wadena.

Dorothy married Kenneth Welter in 1956, and they had five children, Dean, Jona, Daniel, Darin, and Peggy. Kenneth and Dorothy bought a farm just south of New York Mills in 1958 and lived there until January 1, 2020, when they sold it to their grandson, Evan, and moved into an apartment in town.

Dorothy worked at home and took in sewing, then started an upholstery shop until 1991. In 1998, she then managed the Senior Arts and Craft Shop in downtown New York Mills until it closed in 2020. She passed away on February 9, 2025, in her home.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Kenneth; their son, Dean; her parents, Edward and Selma Korby; her sister, Irene (Jess) Perala; and her brothers, Carl (Kaye) Korby, James Korby, and Richard Korby.

She will be dearly missed by her children, Jona (Doug) Hamilton, Daniel (Bonnie) Welter, Darin “Doob” (Julie) Welter, and Peggy (Jim) Day; her grandchildren, Kristi Johnson, Brent Welter, Bethany (Travis) Hamilton, Nicole (Curtis) Seifert, Katie (Drew) Ackerman, Samantha (Scott) Schroeder, Brea (Travis) Ehrreich, Kelsey (Ryan) Hammer,  Evan (Alyssa) Welter,  Ashley Day and Angel (Issac) Day; her great-grandchildren, Caleb Welter, Michael and Ellie Johnson, Natalie, Lydia and Simon Seifert, RaeLynn and Zella Ackerman, Violet, Theo and Alex Schroeder, Brody Hammer, Maverick Hammer, Ivan Patrick and Evelyn Gawboy; daughter-in-law Deb Welter; her brother, Jon Korby; her sister-in-law, Carole Korby; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Visitation from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025, with Prayer Service at 6:30 p.m. at Apostolic Lutheran Church, 315 Main Ave. S., New York Mills. Memorial Service at 11am on Friday, February 14, 2025, also at Apostolic Lutheran Church, with visitation one hour prior. Private family burial at Topelius Cemetery in the summer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Apostolic Lutheran Church.

Please visit www.karvonenfuneralhome.com to leave memorials and condolences on Dorothy’s Tribute Wall.

Arrangements provided by Karvonen Funeral & Cremation Service of New York Mills.