Dottie Lagerberg

With a warm smile and a servant’s heart, Dottie Lagerberg lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. With equal parts hard work and playful spirit, Dottie embraced each day as a gift and every person as a friend. She was spunky, social, incredibly smart, and even more generous, and always went out of her way to ensure others’ good care and comfort. Dottie’s vibrant personality left a lasting impact on all who were blessed to know her.

1944 marked a time when all American lives were impacted by the war effort in Europe. While countless young people served in the trenches of WWII, those who remained stateside poured their energies into supporting the war effort. As Americans welcomed the end of meat rationing and began planting Victory Gardens, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill and soon became the only U.S. president to be elected to a fourth term. Amidst this celebratory time, the tunes of Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald had people dancing in their living rooms, while Judy Garland and Cary Grant entertained on the silver screen. Closer to home, Thomas Sr. and Dorothy (Austin) Forsythe has a reason to celebrate all their own, as they welcomed their daughter Dorothy on February 14, 1944 in Madison, Wisconsin.

As her father served in the military, Dottie’s childhood was filled with adventure. While stationed in Puerto Rico, she was known for running into the house with little anole lizards pinched on her ears like earrings, much to the surprise of her family! She always knew how to have a good time, but also committed herself to her studies. She enjoyed learning and graduated as an honors student.

After the family moved to Kansas, Dottie met her future husband, Alan Lagerberg. A testimony to how faith brings people together, both Dottie and Alan worked at Kresge Company in the days before it was known as K-Mart. Dottie worked in the office, and Alan was a cleaner. Instantly smitten with Dottie, he purposefully washed the windows poorly one day just to get her attention. His mischievous plan eventually worked! In time, Dottie opened her heart and the pair fell madly in love.

A short time later, caring for Alan’s grandfather, who had become ill, ignited her interest in becoming a nurse. She enrolled in nursing school and earned the highest score on the national exam. Later, Dottie attended KVCC and became a registered nurse at Bronson Methodist Hospital, where she took great pride in helping and healing others.

Dottie and Alan’s family grew to include their children, Shelley, Tim, Stephen, and Jen. The family enjoyed road trips to Wisconsin to visit family and spending summer days on the beach in South Haven. In 1975, Dottie attended her first hockey game during the Kalamazoo Wings' second season. Though it was Alan’s idea to go, she soon cheered and screamed louder than he ever did for her favorite team. Dottie was also a big New York Yankees fan and enjoyed attending baseball games with Alan when they could.

Dottie absolutely loved animals and nature. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, planting, gardening, and feeding the birds. As a Mother and a grandmother, she relished sharing her love of the outdoors with her children and grandchildren. Whether teaching her family to fish at a cottage they rented for a week during the summer, picking blueberries in her backyard or running through the sprinkler with her grandkids, or having lunch at McDonald’s Play Place, every moment spent together was a joy. She’d even let them catch toads or garter snakes in the garden, keeping them for just the day. Much to Dottie’s delight, her daughter Shelley and her granddaughter Jessica followed in her footsteps, both becoming nurses.

A woman who found happiness in life’s simple pleasures, Dottie enjoyed pretzels and popcorn, diet Coke and vanilla ice cream. Her family will fondly remember her singing, “Yellow, yellow, yellow is my fellow” while playing Candyland with grandkids, and “Up, up and away in my beautiful balloon” when she pushed the kids on the swing. Her signature “It’s rainin’ to beat the band” will long inspire laughter. And holding hands with Alan was a sure way to bring a smile to both their faces.

As we gather to celebrate her wonderful life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories and in the honor of carrying her legacy forward. In each moment we choose to lead with our hearts, choose hope, faith, and generosity, and devote ourselves to our family, friends, and our community, we keep Dottie’s nurturing and vivacious spirit alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Dorothy Lagerberg died on March 1, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Timothy Lagerberg; and brothers: Thomas Forsythe Jr. and Wayne Forsythe. Surviving are her husband, Al; children: Shelley Hoogerheide, Stephen (Tiffany) Lagerberg, and Jen (Dave) Rice; 14 grandkids and 3 great-grandkids who were the light of her life; sisters: Judy Schwoch and Linda (Mike Roth) Benkowski; and many nieces and nephews.

A Life Story Service will be held Thursday, March 6, at 10 AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center where food, drinks, and stories will be shared. Burial at Portage South Cemetery. Celebrate Dottie’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Ministry with Community or Alzheimer’s Association.