Dorothy Risa was born on September 12, 1922 in Regina, Saskatchewan to James and Annie B. Walters. She passed away on November 30, 2017 in Glasgow Montana.
Dot moved frequently with her mother as a young girl and also when her mother married Harry Ackers, a custom agent. She moved 12 times before she graduated from high school in Westby, Montana in 1941. She then moved to Missoula for secretarial classes and on to Great Falls to work at Rocky Mountain Insurance. There she met and established lifetime friendships. She enjoyed going to dances and brought her friends to Opheim to visit her mother and eventually met her first husband, Albin (Fat) Risa. She married Fat on January 1, 1946. He moved her to the family farm in Opheim. Dot, the city girl, adapted to living on the farm where she lived until 2007 and then moved to Glasgow. Lee was born on December 14, 1950 and Brian on February 7, 1954. After Albin’s death in 1961, she married Theron Risa on December 28, 1963.
Dot was very involved in First Lutheran Church serving as district secretary, teaching Sunday School, leading the Lutheran women, Bethel Bible Study, and confirmation. In her community, she was on the school board, active in Opheim senior citizens, and a community club member. Their home was always open and welcoming. Dot and Theron’s nephew, Kenneth Christofferson, lived with them for 5 years and attended school and graduated in Opheim. All of Dot’s grandchildren received handmade quilts for graduation. She enjoyed blessing her family and others with numerous afghans and handiwork. She frequently attended sporting events in Opheim, especially for her grandchildren’s ballgames.
She enjoyed family vacations, senior citizen trips and traveling, especially her two trips to Hawaii with Theron and close friends. She and Theron enjoyed ten years of friendships and visiting at Nemont Manor and Prairie Ridge in Glasgow. In her final month she was cared for at Valley View Nursing Home in Glasgow.
She was preceded in death by her mother, father and step-father, her first husband, Albin, brothers, Melvin Ackers and Allen (Millie) Ackers, and grandson, Tyler Risa.
Dot is survived by her husband, Theron of nearly 54 years. She is also survived by two sons, Lee and wife, Terry (Ackerman) of Opheim and Brian and his wife, Diana (Leibrand) of Blackfoot, Idaho; grandchildren, Jessica (Greg) Perry of Pocatello, Idaho, Travis (Candra) Risa of Blackfoot, Idaho, Kari (Cowboy) Murch of Glasgow, Kristy (James) Miller of Taylor, North Dakota and Bryce Risa of Opheim and 9 great-grandchildren Abby, Lily, Tayley, Caleb, Cole, Collin, Callie, Karstin and Kaisen; two sister-in-laws Lenora Ackers of Vancouver, Washington and Pat Risa of Glasgow along with many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 8, 2017 at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow, Montana. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 9, 2017 at Opheim Community Church in Opheim, Montana with Pastor Owen Childers officiating. Burial will take place in Lawndale Cemetery in Opheim. A luncheon will follow burial at the church. Memorials can be left in Dorothy’s name to your favorite charity.
She will be missed by her family and friends but has left everyone with memories that will live on.