Obituary of Dorothy Anne Camper

Dorothy Camper, 95, died peacefully on March 31, at the Benedictine Living Community in Duluth, MN after living many years with dementia.

Dorothy was born on March 12, 1929 in Madison, Wisconsin to Robert and Anna Goll. She then lived in Harvard, IL and attended Beloit College, graduating in 1950. She and her husband Arthur Camper married on September 9, 1954 and lived in Madison, WI, where they raised their three children. Her kids feel lucky to have had such wonderful parents.

Dorothy had many passions. She was an expert typist, including typing Braille texts. She worked at the Madison Arboretum and was an expert gardener. Co-founder of both the Madison Weavers’ Guild and Knitters’ Guild, Dorothy was also a founding member and contributor to Knitter’s Magazine. She loved traveling, joining Loners on Wheels to explore the U.S. in her van, taking an archaeological trip to Easter Island, and white-water rafting on the Snake River. She loved music and played the flute and saxophone. She moved to Duluth, MN, in 2001, where she volunteered at the Hartley Nature Center. She loved nature, cats, books, progressive politics, and volunteering, as she believed strongly in helping others.

She is survived by her children, Cathy (Matt) Camper, Jennifer (Emma Lee) Camper and Chris (Sheri) Camper, and her sister Marjorie Winkelman.  She was preceded in death by her husband Arthur Camper and her brother Robert Goll, Jr.

The family thanks all the amazing caregivers who loved and helped Dorothy at Ecumen Lakeshore, the Benedictine Living Community and Essentia Health Hospice.

In Dorothy’s memory, we ask that donations be made to The Nature Conservancy.

A private family gathering will be held at a later date.