Dorothy Magdalen (“Dottie”) Berg passed away peacefully on February 5, 2026, in Ramsey, Minnesota at the age of 80, in the presence of her family.

Dottie was born on September 23, 1945 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Caspar and Dorothy Linder. Dottie is survived by Olaf, her husband of almost 60 years, and four children, Michelle and husband Steve; Christopher and wife Bridget; Nicholas; and Heidi; and all of her grandchildren, Presten, Felix and Hildegard, Cameron and Alexandra. She is also survived by her brother Frances Linder and her sister Eileen Kren, husband George, nieces, nephew, and grand nieces and nephews.

In 1964 Dottie and Olaf Berg were introduced by mutual friends in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were married in 1966 and went on to have four children.

Dottie spent her life as a dedicated wife, mother, and eventually, grandmother and was adored by all! Her most cherished goal in life was to be a great wife and mother and she succeeded in this with abundance. All of her actions showed how much love she had for her family and later she created extra special relationships with her grandchildren and grand nieces. She was our cheerleader, comforter, caretaker, confidant, helper, and ALWAYS had words of encouragement for us. She honed her skills and unrivaled talents at sewing, crocheting, decorating, and gardening. She always made everything “cozy” and was able to put together a vase of flowers with ease and beauty. She made all of the holidays special and our home was transformed reflecting her care and attention to detail. She was best known for her cooking and baking! This was her “love language”. She perfected many German recipes, always making sure Olaf had his favorite meals on the special days and the kids had their favorite meals and cakes (Gooseberry or Raspberry Swirl) on their birthdays. Grandma Dot’s cookies were absolute favorites, especially her chocolate chip cookies…and we cannot neglect to mention her apple streusel cake, plum cake, apple bars, pudding cake, and nut goodie bars! You could count on receiving her SPECIAL Valentine’s Day and Halloween cookies, that were lovingly decorated, EVERY year and she even hand delivered them!

In the ‘80s, Dottie joined the staff at a local restaurant, The Vineyard. Here she spent 25+ years serving her customers with a smile and joy. She cared deeply for her colleagues, sharing her love and talent for sewing, crocheting and baking to help others in need. She was grateful for the lasting friendships she made and cherished those friendships up until the time of her death. She retired from waitressing in 2009 with the closing of the restaurant.

The next stage in Dottie’s life was lovingly devoted to providing care for her beloved grandchildren. It was important to her to be a guiding light and safe landing for them, as well as giving Christopher (Bridget) and Heidi the comfort of knowing that mom was caring for them instead of the grandkids being at a daycare. She was the kind of grandmother one strives to be and the countless ways she expressed her love is unsurpassed. This selfless love is cherished by Christopher (Bridget) and Heidi and this is her lasting legacy.

In the spirit of providing and caring for others, Dottie took on her next career years after her first retirement. She joined the staff of The Dollar Tree in October of 2021. She immediately learned the names of all the customers and became a top employee at the young age of 76! The friendships she made here, though enjoyed for only a short time, were a blessing and no less important to her. Her commitment and dedication to doing your best goes unmatched!

Dottie and Olaf moved to Minnesota in 1973 and she was a proud member of St. Stephen’s Parish shortly after moving here. Her faith was an essential part of her life and it was a source of constant strength and peace. She prayed daily, lit candles at the church, for those she loved and lost, and for anyone who had a need. Praying the Rosary was important to her as well (she had at least 6 of them!). She always shared her faith with her family and encouraged us to seek God. Mostly, she lived her life as an example of Christ on earth. Frequently, she said that her life is in HIS hands and God is in control. A favorite motto of hers, learned from her son-in-law Steve, was “see a need, meet a need”, and she pursued that mantra relentlessly as service was in her heart. This commitment to others took so many forms, in big ways and small, and she never tired of offering to assist where she found a need - she was truly remarkable. Her favorite causes included Loaves and Fishes and Meals on Wheels, both of which she volunteered with for many years.

Despite all of her hard work, Dottie loved to travel. She was so happy on her several visits to Germany, seeing sites and connecting with Olaf’s extended family. While she did not speak German, the love within her allowed immediate and deep connections with many of those family members across the language divide. Thankfully, when on her last trip in 2019, today’s technology allowed her to use translation tools to have deeper conversations that she hadn’t previously been able to experience. She was SO delighted! She loved them dearly and often spoke of them. One of her favorite memories was her trip with Olaf to Jerusalem. It affected her profoundly and brought her closer to her faith in many ways.

Dottie’s sparkle, warmth, humbleness, faith, and devotion to family will be deeply missed by all who knew her including many friends and community members. She remembered every birthday and anniversary, always had a card ready for all who were a part of her life, and had a quiet strength. To all who had the pleasure of knowing Dottie and whose lives were touched by her warmth, encouragement, and genuine love, the family hopes you will carry forward her legacy of kindness, generosity of spirit, and positive outlook in the years to come. Her family has lost the most central, tender part of their hearts with her passing. She will be so missed.

Services will be held at St. Stephen’s Church in Anoka, Minnesota on Monday, February 16th, at 11:00am with the Visitation beginning at 10am. Immediately following the service a light lunch will be served to honor and celebrate the absolutely beautiful person she was.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Meals On Wheels Minnesota | Metro Meals On Wheels, an organization she participated in and had a strong connection with.