1925
Doris
2015
Doris Helen Berlin
November 14, 1925 — March 16, 2015
Doris passed away Monday afternoon, March 16, at the Red Wing Health Center with her family present. Doris Helen Kihlgren was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Nov. 14th, 1925, the daughter of Severin and Ida Kihlgren. After her mother's death when Doris was two years old, she was raised by a great aunt and uncle, Theodore and Christina Anderson, on a farm between Zumbrota and Wanamingo. She also spent wonderful summers on the farm of another great aunt and uncle, Iver and Amanda Johnson. Doris attended country school and Lands Lutheran Church. Her first language was Norwegian. After the depression years, Doris and her family moved into town, Zumbrota, where she attended High School. At the beginning of her senior year they moved into a bigger town, Red Wing, where she graduated from High School in 1943. She loved her class and her friends and had many happy reunions with them over the years.
After High School, Doris worked at Woolworth's downtown. While there she met Wally Berlin, who was at the La Grange Shoe Factory running a crew during WWII. Doris joined Wally on the assembly line, and they were together for the rest of their lives until Wally's death in 2002. They were married in August 1945 in Rochester, Minnesota. Right after the war, Wally and Doris were planning a move to California. After making a quick trip there to check out the job market, Wally realized things were better back in pretty Red Wing. He called Doris and told her not to take the train out west after all. This after she had already quit her job at Woolworth's and bought a suitcase. So she got a job at the Gypsy Trail restaurant and later at the Medina Diner. Meanwhile, Wally had opened up a Texaco gas station right under the High Bridge corner by the Mississippi with his father, Clarence Berlin.
By this time Wally Berlin, Jr. was born in 1949, later followed by a daughter, Barbara Jo, in 1952. That same year they bought a vacant grocery store in Frontenac which they lived in and had a coffee shop and hamburger place in the front. They later remodeled and expanded it to be a full service restaurant, Berlin's Café, which became known for Friday Night Fish Frys, Sunday Turkey Dinner, and Doris' fabulous homemade pies! It was truly a family business with several generations of the Berlin family working there over the years. Many Frontenac teenagers got their first job at Berlin's, in business from 1952-1975. It still continues in business today as the Whistle Stop in Frontenac.
After the restaurant years, Doris became active in the community in both Frontenac and Red Wing. She was at one point chairwoman of the Infant Safety Seat program at St. John's Hospital. Doris was instrumental in Frontenac continuing to have its own post office for the town and surrounding area. She and many others rallied support, signed petitions, and engaged the federal government in, if not a war, at least a battle, which they won. Next was "Friends of the Town Hall." The Frontenac Town Hall is the oldest town hall in Minnesota. It was in continuous use for meetings, voting, and social gatherings since the 1850s. Doris and friends got the news media involved, covering stories about the possible demolition of the town hall and saved the building. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Doris and Wally loved traveling by motorcycle, train, boat, plane, and car. They traveled as far as Japan with the Honda Corporation. They spent a lot of time vacationing in the Black Hills of South Dakota and visiting daughter Barbara and family in Austin, Texas.
Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Wally and two older brothers, Harold and Walter Kihlgren.
She is survived by her son, Wally "Butch" (Lois) Berlin of Frontenac; daughter, Barbara Jo Skorude of Austin, Texas; three grandsons, Matt (Erin) Berlin of Lake City, Ted Berlin of Frontenac, and Mike (Christina) Skorude, Jr. of Round Rock, Texas; four great-grandchildren, Rhys Nolan of Cedar Park, Texas, Cole Skorude of Round Rock, Texas, and Braxton and Alexandra Berlin of Lake City.
The family wishes to thank all the people at the Red Wing Health Center, where both Doris and Wally passed away. Memorials can be made to the little church in Frontenac that Doris loved and served in the Ladies Aid for decades, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, or to the Alzheimer's Association.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, 2015 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frontenac with Reverend Stephen Kurtzahn officiating. Burial will follow at Frontenac Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.
602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN 55066
33685 Germania Street
Frontenac, MN 55026
After High School, Doris worked at Woolworth's downtown. While there she met Wally Berlin, who was at the La Grange Shoe Factory running a crew during WWII. Doris joined Wally on the assembly line, and they were together for the rest of their lives until Wally's death in 2002. They were married in August 1945 in Rochester, Minnesota. Right after the war, Wally and Doris were planning a move to California. After making a quick trip there to check out the job market, Wally realized things were better back in pretty Red Wing. He called Doris and told her not to take the train out west after all. This after she had already quit her job at Woolworth's and bought a suitcase. So she got a job at the Gypsy Trail restaurant and later at the Medina Diner. Meanwhile, Wally had opened up a Texaco gas station right under the High Bridge corner by the Mississippi with his father, Clarence Berlin.
By this time Wally Berlin, Jr. was born in 1949, later followed by a daughter, Barbara Jo, in 1952. That same year they bought a vacant grocery store in Frontenac which they lived in and had a coffee shop and hamburger place in the front. They later remodeled and expanded it to be a full service restaurant, Berlin's Café, which became known for Friday Night Fish Frys, Sunday Turkey Dinner, and Doris' fabulous homemade pies! It was truly a family business with several generations of the Berlin family working there over the years. Many Frontenac teenagers got their first job at Berlin's, in business from 1952-1975. It still continues in business today as the Whistle Stop in Frontenac.
After the restaurant years, Doris became active in the community in both Frontenac and Red Wing. She was at one point chairwoman of the Infant Safety Seat program at St. John's Hospital. Doris was instrumental in Frontenac continuing to have its own post office for the town and surrounding area. She and many others rallied support, signed petitions, and engaged the federal government in, if not a war, at least a battle, which they won. Next was "Friends of the Town Hall." The Frontenac Town Hall is the oldest town hall in Minnesota. It was in continuous use for meetings, voting, and social gatherings since the 1850s. Doris and friends got the news media involved, covering stories about the possible demolition of the town hall and saved the building. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Doris and Wally loved traveling by motorcycle, train, boat, plane, and car. They traveled as far as Japan with the Honda Corporation. They spent a lot of time vacationing in the Black Hills of South Dakota and visiting daughter Barbara and family in Austin, Texas.
Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Wally and two older brothers, Harold and Walter Kihlgren.
She is survived by her son, Wally "Butch" (Lois) Berlin of Frontenac; daughter, Barbara Jo Skorude of Austin, Texas; three grandsons, Matt (Erin) Berlin of Lake City, Ted Berlin of Frontenac, and Mike (Christina) Skorude, Jr. of Round Rock, Texas; four great-grandchildren, Rhys Nolan of Cedar Park, Texas, Cole Skorude of Round Rock, Texas, and Braxton and Alexandra Berlin of Lake City.
The family wishes to thank all the people at the Red Wing Health Center, where both Doris and Wally passed away. Memorials can be made to the little church in Frontenac that Doris loved and served in the Ladies Aid for decades, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, or to the Alzheimer's Association.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, 2015 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frontenac with Reverend Stephen Kurtzahn officiating. Burial will follow at Frontenac Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Visitation
MAR 20. 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CDT)
Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN 55066
Visitation
MAR 21. 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (CDT)
St Johns Lutheran Church - Frontenac33685 Germania Street
Frontenac, MN 55026
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