Thief River Falls - Dorothy Berve, 99, died Sunday, March 23, 1997 at the CNC Unit of Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls. Arrangements were with Green Funeral Home of Thief River Falls.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 26 at the Green Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tim Bauer officiating. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery of Thief River Falls.
Dorothy Puffer was born on January 28, 1898 in Bloomfield, IA, the daughter of Nathan and Mary Sevilla (Lowry) Puffer. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended school in Iowa graduating from high school in 1915. She attended Cornell College in Iowa in 1915 and then Drake University. She graduated with a teaching degree and taught in several schools in Iowa, Illinois, and Colorado during the 1920's and 30's She took additional courses at several universities including Harvard and Columbia. She specialized in mentally challenged students and for several years was a teacher, then principal of the school at the State Mental Hospital in Dixon, IL. In 1934 she accepted a teaching position in Thief River Falls. She was united in marriage to Hilbert Berve in Denver, CO on July 6, 1936. They resided in Thief River Falls. She continued her love of education by taking correspondence courses through the University of Minnesota and attending many writers conferences. She wrote many short stories that appeared in local, regional and national publications. She continued to write short stories well into her 80's.
She is survived by niece Kathleen Tolas of Ft. Collins, CO; great-nephew Philip Pittman of Oak Park, IL; and great-niece Beverly Rula of Cedar Rapids, IA.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Hilbert on August 24, 1972; and sisters Lola Rankin ad Lottie Phillips.