Dorothy Danielson

Dorothy Johnson Danielson, health care leader and active resident of the Lakeland area, passed away peacefully on June 5 at the Avanti Health and Rehabilitation Center in Minocqua, at the age of 94. Dorothy was born November 27, 1921, in Ridgway, Pennsylvania. She grew up there in a Swedish-speaking home. A family story has Dorothy at age three looking up at a frosted window at Christmastime and exclaiming, “Det finns ljus i Guds fönster!” (There is light in God’s window!). She went on to a life of health care service and Christian devotion. She graduated from Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago and later received a B.S.N. from Boston University and an M.S.N from Columbia University in New York. In a long career in nursing administration and education she held leadership posts at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Evanston Hospital and its School of Nursing (IL), Duke University Hospital, Hartford Hospital (CT), and Detroit Receiving Hospital. She is a founder and past president of the entity that has become the American Organization of Nurse Executives. Dorothy married John M. Danielson in 1970. When John took the job as Chief Executive Officer of the Howard Young Medical Center in 1984, Dorothy moved with him to the Lakeland area. John passed away in 1987 but Dorothy remained, so deep was her love for this area and its people. Dear to her heart in retirement was her work helping establish the Dr. Kate-Lakeland Hospice and in observing its growth under the leadership of Randi Danner, and as a volunteer with the staff and patients at the Howard Young Dialysis Department. She was an active member of the Community Church of Boulder Junction, singing in the choir. Dorothy was preceded in death, besides her husband John, by parents Esther and Adolph, sister Bernice, brother-in-law Charles LaVern, nephew-in-law Lonnie, step-grandchildren Sam and Nicholas, and great-great-great nephews Mitchel Jacob and Brice Samuel. She is survived by a large extended family, including niece Nancy Huckabone of Jamestown, NY; stepchildren Russ (Terry) Danielson of Portland, Or., Jenny (Dan) Musson of Arbor Vitae, and Betsy (Steven) Peterson of Chicago; step-grandchildren Jason (Angie), Erin, Tracy, Kelly, Hallie, Christopher (Amber), and Timothy; great nieces and nephews Lonelle (Glenn), Douglas (Tina), Jon, and Keith (Leeann); greatgreat nieces and nephews Ann Marie (Josiah), Martin (Sarah), Holly (Mike) Caleb, Noah, Kegan, Kenedy, and Molly; great-great-great niece Gwenivere Joy; and great stepgrandchild Bradley Arnett. A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at Bolger Funeral Home in Minocqua. A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 17 at 11:00 am at the Community Church of Boulder Junction. Burial will take place at Lakeside Cemetery in Hazlehurst. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Dr. Kate Lakeland Hospice of Woodruff or to the Community Church of Boulder Junction

Dorothy Danielson

November 27, 1921 - June 5, 2016