The funeral will take place on April 14, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 4801 France Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55410. Guests may also join online by going to the church’s website: www.gsmpls.org/funerals

Dorothy Ann Knutson, formerly Rottunda, later Ellerbroek, was born on March 30, 1944, in Granite Falls, Minn., to Robert and Harriet (Hanson) Knutson. She graduated from Granite Falls High School in 1962 with a lifelong curiosity and desire to care for others.

Music was a steadfast joy for Dorothy. She never forgot hearing Van Cliburn play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in Minneapolis at age 18, a moment she described simply: “I felt like I had arrived.” As a young mother, she bought a grand piano, which she moved with her for over 50 years. She sang in church choirs and filled her home with classical music. Her daughters often fell asleep listening to her play that grand piano. She leaves behind a life that, like a favorite melody, lingers in the hearts of all who knew her.

Dorothy continued to grow in her calling throughout her life, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (1973) and a Master’s degree in Health Science and Community Health (1992), both from Minnesota State University, Mankato. In 2009, she completed a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction from St. Catherine University, reflecting her deep commitment to caring for both body and spirit.

Dorothy had a robust nursing career that included St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Fairmont Community Hospital, PrairieLand Home Care, The Long-Term Care Group, Allianz, Syngenta and Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. She was a brilliant nurse and compassionate caregiver to patients and families in hospitals, homes, workplaces, and churches.

At home, Dorothy found joy in gardening, golfing, reading, and writing. She was a loving mother, proud grandmother, and cultivated lifelong friendships.

Even as she lived with Alzheimer’s disease, Dorothy remained a teacher, continuing to pitch in and connect with the care staff at Auburn Meadows with empathy, humor, and dignity.

Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Sara Rottunda (John Butler) and Amy Rottunda (Jeff Steiner); grandsons, Finley and Renner Johnson; her sister, Kathryn (Knutson) Whitford; niece Kristine (Short) Taylor and family, along with dozens of cousins and a wide circle of friends who will carry her memory forward. She was preceded in death by her husband, John O. Ellerbroek, and her parents, Robert Joseph and Harriet Mildred (Hanson) Knutson.

The family would like to thank the staff of Auburn Meadows, Auburn Homes, and Ridgeview Home Hospice for their compassionate care of Dorothy. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Foundation or The Katie Fund at St. Catherine University.

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