Obituary: Maxine Doran

Maxine Doran of Kimball died peacefully Friday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2023, with family at her side, at Hilltop Health Care Center in Watkins of Parkinson's disease. She was 84.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, at Kimball Christian Church with Pastor Tom Kopp officiating. Visitation will begin one hour before the service, and continue with a luncheon at the church following the service. Burial will be in Kimball Cemetery.

Maxine Jean Johnson was born November 8, 1939, in Cloquet, Minnesota, to George R. and Ruth (Hanson) Johnson. She graduated from Cloquet High School in 1957. She married Willard Lindholm that year, and they divorced in 1959; they had two daughters. She married Roger Doran in 1962, having met on a blind date over Monopoly, and they had two children.

Maxine was a creative and talented soul, a brilliant pianist who also painted, quilted, taught piano, and composed music. She celebrated and encouraged the artistic talents of her children and grandchildren, all of whom have varied and special gifts. She adored each of her children and grandchildren; they were literally her pride and joy.

Everyone she met recognized her sweet spirit, and she never met a stranger who didn't instantly become a friend. Growing up, her children learned a few key rules of life from Maxine: one can have fun without money; no matter what, hair grows out; orange lipstick does not suit anyone; and there are some foods that just can't be salvaged with ketchup or the microwave.

She worked her entire adult life to provide for her family, in varied fields from computers in the 1960s, data entry, sales support, to most recently several years at the Tri-County News in Kimball, retiring in 2019. She was active in whatever church she attended: playing piano or organ, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School. And she taught many piano students in the area.

Maxine was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Roger Doran in 2017; former husband, Willard Lindholm; brother, George Marvin Johnson; brothers-in-law, Robert Doran and Michael Soltis; aunts and uncles, and several cousins.

She is survived by her children, Jean (Anton) Matua, Judy Lindberg, Deb (Bill) Thormodson, and John (Karen) Doran; grandchildren, George Matua, Leah Doran (Michael Schmidt), Michael Moscho, Andrew Lindberg, Gabriel Lindberg, Olivia Thormodson, Peter Thormodson, Victoria Thormodson, Lydia Thormodson, Nicole (Draven) House, and David Doran; great-grandchildren, Brayden Wozniak and Loki Schmidt; sister, Marlene Doran; sister-in-law, Ruth Ann Soltis; cousins, nieces and nephews, other family, and friends.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services in Kimball. Memorials are preferred to the Building Fund at Kimball Christian Church.

The family is most grateful to all the staff of Hilltop Health Care Center and St. Croix Hospice for their wonderful and loving care of Maxine these past many months.

Obituary, Guestbook, Video Tribute and Funeral Webcast online at http://www.dingmannfuneral.com