Doris Ness-Dibley

Doris Ness-Dibley, Age 87, of Wolverton, MN, died Friday, August 12, 2022, while in hospice due to cancer. She was born on May 13, 1935, at Carrington, ND, to Gerhard (Guy) and Elsie (Berndt) Braa.

After living at Medina, Jamestown and Courtenay, ND, where her dad was employed by the ND Highway Department, her family moved to a farm by Dazey, ND.  Doris was the oldest child.  She had two younger sisters and one brother.

She played basketball in high school, belonged to the YCL (Young Citizens League) and participated in an area track meet.

After Doris graduated from high school at Dazey, ND in 1953, she moved to Fargo and got a room with two other girls at the YWCA. She took a summer job at the Powers Hotel in Fargo cleaning rooms.

In the fall, Doris enrolled at Concordia College and lived in the dorm with three other girls. She worked part-time at the cafeteria and bookstore.

In Nov of 1955, Doris started working at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Fargo.  She worked in the Engineering Dept where she did accounting of telephone poles and other equipment. She drafted scaled maps of all the cities and towns in North Dakota and western Minnesota. She also drafted a map of the Red River Valley that was six miles wide on each side.

For entertainment, Doris and her roommates would go roller skating at the Fargo Arena and to the movies. On Saturday nights, they would sometimes go to The Crystal Ballroom, which was located at the foot of Broadway. It had good bands, no drinking and was a great place to meet people.

Doris first saw this tall guy roller skating with her friend, Patricia Ness, at the Fargo Arena. She asked her friend about him and found out he was her cousin from south of Fargo. Doris didn’t meet him that night though. Sometime later, they were both at a dance at the Crystal Ballroom. He asked Doris to dance and introduced himself as Gene Ness.

On July 6, 1957, Doris married Eugene Ness from Wolverton, MN.  After a trip to the Black Hills, they came home to Wolverton where they farmed and raised five children. Four of their five children were born during the years 1958-1964.

In the summer of 1967, Doris worked for Head Start.  In the fall she was hired by Clay-Wilkin as Outreach, where she worked until 1972. Their youngest son was born in 1971.  She worked for American Linen from 1981-2001. She was still assisting Gene with the farming and their business, Ness Floor Covering, from 1975 until Gene passed away suddenly on February 19, 1992.

On July 8, 1995, Doris married their longtime friend, Stanley Dibley from Audubon, MN. They lived on the farm by Wolverton. Stan passed away June 3, 2010. Doris kept living on the same farm until her death.

Doris was quite a seamstress.  She sewed her own wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses for her sisters. In future years, Doris also sewed wedding and bridesmaid dresses for her daughters. She also made custom quilts for her four grandchildren. In later years, Doris crocheted a lot of afghans and scarves for friends, relatives and the church auction. She would take special requests for color combinations and sizes.

Doris was an avid sports fan. She watched Barry play basketball in high school, and sponsored Linda’s league softball team for many years. She attended as many of her grandchildren’s baseball, basketball and hockey games as she could. She was a fan of the FM Redhawks, NDSU Bison, Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings.

Always strong in her Christian faith, she attended church services in person and by radio/tv when that became too difficult.

Doris is survived by her children: Terri (Alan) Drevlow, Bloomington, MN, Barry (Rose Mega), Superior, WI, Linda (Michael) Jones, Fargo, ND, Wendy (David) Dynes, Fargo, ND, and Dale, Moorhead, MN. Four grandchildren: Keaton & Dawson Dynes, Fargo, ND, Cassie & Jamie Drevlow, Bloomington, MN. Two honorary great-grandchildren: Nathan & Norah (Barry), Superior, WI. Brother, Norm (Jan) Evans, Bismarck, ND. Sister, Betty Liljenquist, Cooperstown, ND. Brother-in-law, Ken Dibley, Detroit Lakes, MN.  She is survived by many nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, her parents, sister Carol Sortland, sisters-in-law: Ione Moir, Marion Allen, Helen Dibley and Mary Werre; Brothers-in-law: Marvin Ness, Vern Moir, Wilbur Liljenquist, Charles (Chuck) Sortland, Tom Allen and nephews: Tim Liljenquist, Patrick Allen and Dan Evans.

Visitation will be Friday, August 19, 2022, from 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M., followed by the funeral service at 2:00 P.M., at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, MN.  Interment will be at Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Wolverton.