Doris Mortenson

Doris Marianne Mortenson
May 4, 1935 – June 1, 2024


Doris Marianne Mortenson died Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Waco, Texas at the age of 89. She was born in Krefeld, Germany on May 4, 1935, the daughter of Rudolf and Dora Brendow. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her beloved husband, Glenn Roger Mortenson. She is survived by her son Gary Mortenson and wife Kristin Mortenson of Woodway, TX; her son Dale Mortenson of Great Falls, MT; her grandchildren Leah Mortenson and husband Garrett Matlick of Stamford, CT; Sarah Mortenson of Valley Mills, TX; Tyler Mortenson and wife Morgan Malany of Bend, OR; Haley and Kylie Mortenson of Whitefish, MT; great granddaughter Wren Ivy Mortenson-Matlick of Stamford, CT; one cousin Rosemarie Firmenich; and her special helper/friend Renata Marçulo.

As a child in Germany, Doris experienced the horrors of World War II. On the night of June 22,1943, shortly after Doris’s 8th birthday, Krefeld, Germany was firebombed, and the home of her youth was destroyed. She experienced death and destruction all around her on that fateful evening and would flash back to the bombing and aftermath of that night for the rest of her life. The family moved immediately to the town of Höhr Grenzhausen Germany where Doris spent the rest of her time in Germany. Doris matriculated from Hochschule and Business School Training in Höhr-Grenzhausen prior to immigrating to the United States with her parents in 1951.

Upon arriving in the United States and clearing immigration, the family of three traveled to Sterling, Illinois where they quickly settled into life in America. Their immigration to America was sponsored by her mother’s sister and husband, Ann and Bud Bressler. The day after arriving in Sterling her father began work at the Sterling Steel and Wire Mill as an electrician where he continued to take every shift possible until he retired at age 65. Within weeks of the family’s arrival in Sterling, Doris began working as a “Girl Friday” at the Sterling Federal Credit Union.

On August 28, 1955, Doris married the love of her life, Glenn Roger Mortenson, at the Lutheran Church in Sterling. They enjoyed 64 years of marriage until Glenn’s passing on June 7, 2020. Doris supported Glenn’s work as a music educator and a professional musician in the Chicago area. She did clerical work at several businesses in suburban Chicago and worked hard in the home to allow Glenn the freedom to attend to his job as the music coordinator and band director at Ridgewood High School in Norridge, IL during the week and as a freelance trumpeter all over the Chicago area on the weekends. She served as a chaperone for countless band trips to Canada and throughout the United States. While Glenn’s position was in Norridge (very near Chicago) they decided to settle and live several suburbs further away from Chicago in Itasca, IL, about a thirty-minute commute to Glenn’s work. Gary and Dale went through the Itasca elementary and middle schools and then attended Lake Park High School which serviced approximately three suburbs at that time. The family faithfully attended St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Itasca. Doris and Glenn sent Gary and Dale to Augustana College where they both graduated with their bachelor’s degrees, and both sons went on to complete doctorates in their areas of study.

Upon Glenn’s retirement from public school instrumental music in 1988, Doris and Glenn traveled around the United States before deciding to retire in Hot Springs, AR where they lived for 29 years. In Hot Springs, Glenn stayed active on his trumpet, performing on his trumpet, with the Hot Springs Municipal Band and first trumpet in a local brass quintet. Doris attended every concert he performed in and often fed the brass quintet lunch or dinner when their rehearsals concluded. They loved to entertain in their home, and Glenn and Doris were faithful members of Westminster Presbyterian Church where Glenn served on the Session as a church leader. They enjoyed dozens of cruises and were world travelers, spending extended time across Europe, Asia, Russia, and the Caribbean.

In 2018, Doris and Glenn moved to Waco to be closer to family. They enjoyed Sunday services together at Seventh & James Baptist Church, frequented School of Music performances at Baylor University, and were enthusiastic season ticket holders of the Waco Symphony Orchestra. The loved hearing their daughter in-law, Kristin, perform at church and with the Waco Symphony Orchestra. Following Glenn’s passing in 2020 Doris moved to The Delaney at Lake Waco senior living community where she established friendships and enjoyed the activities in all three levels of care at the facility until her passing from this earth. Doris loved meeting new people, reading with the “latchkey kids” at her church in Hot Springs, playing golf, learning bridge, doting on
her dogs, and faithfully recalling every funny, poignant, or embarrassing family memory. She was revered in Hot Springs as a baker, and both her beer bread and her English Toffee were often used as currency when bartering with everyone from tradesmen to medical professionals. Throughout Doris’s life her family, friends, and faith were the centers of her life and her focus.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Doris Mortenson, led by Pastor Matt Rosencrans, will be held at 11:00 am on Friday June 7th at Seventh & James Baptist Church, 602 James Avenue. A graveside service, led by Susie Wright of Westminster Presbyterian Church, will be held at Crestview Memorial Park Cemetery in Hot Springs, AR at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 8th. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Baylor University School of Music, Seventh & James Baptist Church, or Westminster Presbyterian Church. Arrangements coordinated by Oakcrest Funeral Home.