December 1, 1943 - August 27, 2014

 

Charlotte Dokken
loading...

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2014 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Sartell for Charlotte Ann (Sieh) Dokken. Charlotte passed away peacefully on August 27, 2014 at St. Benedict’s Senior Community in St. Cloud. Burial will take place in the St. Francis Xavier Parish Cemetery in Sartell.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Friday and after 10 a.m. on Saturday both at the St. Francis Xavier Gathering Space in Sartell. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by St. Monica’s Christian Women prayers.

Charlotte Ann Sieh was born Dec. 1, 1943 in Avalon, CA, to Roland “William” and Lavohn (Herron) Sieh. Her father was in the Navy and once World War II ended, the family moved to Minnesota, living in Hutchinson and Austin. In the early 1950s, the family moved to a farm at Bath, SD, to be close to extended family.

Charlotte graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in Aberdeen, SD in 1961. After graduation from South Dakota State University with a bachelor's degree, she got her master's degree in social work from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 1997, she completed the work on her doctorate in psychology from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology in Minneapolis.

In 1966, she married John Allen Dokken in Aberdeen. The couple lived in Nebraska before moving to Minnesota. In 1968 their son John William was born at Lincoln, NE and their daughter Susan was born in Albion, NE in 1970. They lived in Morton, Clarkfield and Winsted, MN, moving to their home in Sartell in 1997.

John and Charlotte owned a lake cottage on Lake Sallie near Detroit Lakes, and enjoyed most of their summers there with their two children and four grandchildren. They enjoyed attending sporting events and school activities of those grandchildren.

Through her life, Charlotte reached out to others first as a social worker and most recently working as a psychologist. Charlotte enjoyed people, caring for others in the circle of those around her as well as in her life work of helping troubled children. She touched many lives in her work for Caritas Mental Health Clinic through Catholic Charities in St. Cloud for 12 years in addition to the years she was in private practice. Her enthusiastic joy of life, deep faith in God and the power of prayer sustained her through her 10 year battle with cancer. Her husband John was constantly by her side through treatments and periods of remission. The couple enjoyed traveling when Charlotte's condition allowed.

She was an active member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. She volunteered in the kindergarten class at St. Francis Xavier School, was involved in prayer groups and was a Foodshelf volunteer. Her professional memberships included the American Association of University Women and American Psychological Association. She loved reading thought-provoking books and belonged to a book club.

She is survived by her husband John of Sartell, MN; their daughter, Susan Altenberg and her husband Mark of Moorhead, MN, and their children Sophie and John Robert; their son John William Dokken and his wife Sheila and their daughters Dani and Deanna; her mother, Lavohn Sieh of Aberdeen, SD; sisters Connie Groop and her husband Dale of Frederick, SD and Dr. Julie Sieh, D.D.S., and her husband Brent Blumenthal of Belton, TX and brothers Thomas Sieh and his wife Nancy of Katy, TX and Patrick Sieh of Groton, SD; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ron and Peggy Dokken of New Hope and 12 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Roland Sieh of Aberdeen.

Charlotte will be deeply missed by all those who knew her. Her caring nature nurtured the young people through her work and her grandchildren as well as the plants in her garden. God's handiwork in nature intrigued her. Watching the hummingbirds come to the feeder at the lake cottage was always a thrill as well as the eagles flying over Lake Sallie.

To those who were touched by Charlotte's life, we ask that you honor her memory by sharing a favorite memory and prayer with a friend.

 

More From AM 1240 WJON