Dorothy Maude Black Maland, 97

Bricelyn/Frost – Dorothy Maude Black was born Dec. 2, 1926, to Charles Ralph Black (1894-1970) and Kate Viola Walden (1901-1994). Dorothy was born in McLeansboro, Illinois. Her oldest sister Virginia, brother Dwight, and youngest sister Marian were born in Faribault County, Minnesota. Ralph and Kate settled in Southern Minnesota where farmland was more fertile and jobs more readily available.

Dorothy attended Bricelyn Public Schools, where she graduated in 1944. After graduation, she attended the University of Minnesota and later Mankato State University studying social work.

In 1944, Dorothy met Harlan Aldeen Maland (1922-1992) at a high school basketball game in Bricelyn, where she was a cheerleader and he was the referee. They fell in love and were married January 12, 1946. Their life together revolved around operating the large farm business she and Harlan built in Frost, and, of course, raising their six children.

Dorothy and Harlan passed their belief in education along to their children. All the children excelled in their own ways: Portia Ann, the eldest child, followed by Charles John, Beth Louise, David Carroll, Joan Dee and Jane Lea. After the children were grown, Dorothy and Harlan spent more time in Sun Lakes, Arizona, where they had a full life with friends and neighbors. Following Harlan’s death in 1992, Dorothy remained in Arizona for a period, returning to Minnesota to spend holidays and summers with family. In 2010, Dorothy moved back to Minnesota and lived there until her death on October 16, 2024.

Dorothy was a lifelong learner. She continued to pursue college courses while managing a busy household. She was a voracious reader and had a keen understanding of current events and their impact on the country and the world. She served on the Blue Earth School Board for nine years. She was also a mental health advocate and volunteer. She was runner up as Minnesota Mother of the Year in 1979.

She modeled her care with the most vulnerable in her community. For many decades she was an avid listener of and advocate for public radio. Dorothy had many gifts. She was thoughtful, kind, and smart. She possessed a wonderful sense of humor. She created a beautiful and loving home and expressed her art and love by cooking, hosting family dinners, and using her keen sense of design in her home decor. Her beautiful and inviting homes always included subtle design surprises in the most unexpected places. One of the greatest joys of her life was spending time with her children and their families, including 16 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, who lovingly referred to her as “Grandma Great.”

Dorothy died at the age of 97. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harlan, and siblings, Virginia and Dwight. She is survived by her children and their families: Portia (Dale), Charles (Nancy), Beth (Elizabeth), David (Rhonda), Joan (Mohammed), Jane (Dan); her 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Marian. Dorothy was and remained a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend to many. She will be remembered by her family as a precious part of their lives that will never be replaced.

Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Road 6, Plymouth. Visitation is one hour prior to service. Reception to follow. Interment at Riverside Cemetery, Blue Earth, MN at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 10.

Memorials for Dorothy can be made to Macular Degeneration Research (brightfocus.org/MDRmatch) or Minnesota Public Radio (support.mpr.org).