Dorothy I. Graven Mikkelson

Dorothy was born on June 29, 1925 in Weiser Idaho to Ray R and Ethel L Graven. She was the second of six children. She grew up in the Baker City and Eagle Valley area. In the war years, she worked at the shipyards in Bremerton. She then came to Portland where she met and married her husband Hjalmer H. Mikkelson. They built a home in north east Portland where they lived for twenty five years. Warren OR was the site of their "country farm". They built a house there and lived on five acres of land. They lived in Warren for several years before returning to north east Portland to be near family.

Dorothy was a meat packer for Del Monte then Lewis Brothers Meat Company. She then became a ceramic teacher, holding classes in the basement of her home. When she moved to Warren, she became a school bus driver. She spent many years driving school bus for the Warren, Scappoose, and St. Helen's school districts.

Dorothy had many interests. Besides her ceramics, she enjoyed sewing and made serveral outfits for her grandson when he was a baby. She then made outfits for her teddy bears, including Bride and Groom teddies for her Grandson and wife when they married. In later years, she took up embroidery. She embroidered many tableclothes for relatives. She made a tablecloth, place mats, and napkin set of snowmen for her daughter. She collected Teddy Bears of all types, the collection numbered well over 100 bears.

Dorothy loved to travel. She and her husband took many trips to Spokane, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. When her grandson turned five, she was off on many trips to Disneyland and Disney World. Later, she cruised to Alaska with her husband. She went to Branson, MO, Hawaii, and Mexico with her daughter. Even when wheelchair bound and at Monterey Court, she was on the activity bus most times it moved.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her father Ray R. and mother, Ethel L., her husband Hjalmer, by her sister, Alice, and brothers, Bill, Robert, and Dale. She is survived by her brother Jack and his wife Eleanor, her daughter Betty Rautio, grandson Tim Rautio and wife Liz, and nieces Jacque (Larry)Pilowski, Diane (Bob)Seay and nephew Bruce (Dianne) Anderson.

Arrangements under the direction of Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes, Portland, OR.