Nancy Lorraine Dobberman

Nancy L. Dobberman, age 82 of Belle Plaine passed away Friday, February 7, 2020 at Mayo Clinic Hospital in New Prague after a brief illness. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 13^th at St. John Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service time at the church.

Nancy Lorraine (Thompson) Dobberman was born October 29, 1937 in Milwaukee, WI to George and Jeanette (Haugen) Thompson. She grew up primarily in Berwyn and Villa Park, Illinois. She attended Carleton College before transferring to the University of Illinois (Champagne-Urbana) where she was one of a handful of women in the School of Business, graduating in 1959 with a Bachelor degree in Accounting.

At the University of Illinois, Nancy met David Dobberman and they were married on February 6, 1960. They enjoyed 42 years together prior to his death in 2002. Their early years included time in Superior,WI, Grand Island, NY, and Bloomington, MN. A job transfer for David led them to the metro Washington, DC area where Nancy lived for nearly 30 years before retiring to Minnesota to be near family.

In 1960, Nancy was the first woman accountant ever hired in the Deere & Co home office in Moline. She continued working part-time while raising her family. After her eldest son went to college, she embarked on a career that included 20 years with the American Society of Travel Agents (15 of these as VP of Finance). After retiring for one month, she went on to serve as CFO for the National Apartments Association, and retired for good at age 72.

Nancy was a traveler throughout her life. During World War II, she travelled with her parents across the American South as her engineer father helped build new petroleum refineries. Her later career with ASTA allowed her to visit destinations on six continents, including Austria, Cairo, Taiwan, Brazil, China, and Australia. She was a talented cook, an avid reader, and loved to play bridge. She and David shared a love of classical music. She was a member of PEO (Chapter BZ in Austin), participated in the American Association of University Women, and was a committed church volunteer. Throughout her life, she spent nearly 30 years as treasurer for the various Lutheran churches her family attended.

Nancy is survived by her children, Eric (Lisa) Dobberman of Spring Park, Karl (Andrea) Dobberman of Apple Valley, and Andrea (Ronald) Myers of Lake Crystal; grandchildren, Tiffany (Dan) Sepp, Elise Dobberman, Kira Dobberman, and Kyle Dobberman; great-grandchildren, Taylor, Danica, Emmalyn, and Tom Sepp; sister, Terry (Bryan) Wysong; and brother, Greg (MaryFran) Thompson; as well as five nieces and their families.

Nancy is preceded in death by husband, David Dobberman; daughter, Kathryn Frick; son-in-law, Steven “Peto” Frick; grandson, Tommy Flynn; and her parents.

Memorials are requested to the Building Fund at St. John Lutheran in Belle Plaine or Good Earth Village, a camp and retreat center located in Spring Valley, MN.

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