Dorothy Garven

Dorothy I. Garven, 90, a former Barnesville resident, died on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at Kindred Hospital in Los Angeles, CA.   There will be a graveside service at Rosemound Cemetery on Thursday, June 8 at 2 PM.   Dorothy Irene Garven was born on January 18, 1927 at her grandma’s house in Barnesville, Minnesota to Walter and Gladys (Spurgeon) Garven. She grew up in Barnesville graduating from BHS in 1945. After graduation she went to Los Angeles where she lived until 1951 when she went to Saudi Arabia to work for an oil company. After leaving there in 1954 she studied at New York University before returning to Los Angeles in 1957. Dorothy had a successful career of many years as a computer programmer for UCLA.   Dorothy was married on August 11, 1957 in Las Vegas, NV to Jory Lou Bengtson. They later divorced and she was married on July 3, 1964 to Nicholas Palazzola in Los Angeles.   Dorothy was a Charter member of Los Angeles WESTSIDE Genealogical Society and currently was the 2nd VP of Education but held may other offices within that society. She saved the daily obituaries and death notices from the LA Times and donated them to the Southern California Genealogical Society enabling them to create an online database that was of great value to genealogists. She was so proud to be a member of Rancho San Jose De Buenos Aires Chapter, NSDAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) since 1999. She had served as the chapter treasurer since the year 2000. She was a shelter volunteer with the Lange Foundation, a cat and dog rescue organization, from 2001 to 2013.  Dorothy was the Mar Vista Neighborhood Association Block Captain for many years and also an early Red Hat Society member.   Dorothy spent many summers of her retirement here in Barnesville and she enjoyed doing things like helping paint a mural and planting flower boxes for the Main Street Organization.   Dorothy is survived by her brother Thomas (Pamela) Garven of Lake Havasu City, AZ; two sisters: Phyllis Brewer of Weldon, CA; and Elaine Olson of Barnesville, MN; and many nieces and nephews.   She was preceded in death by her parents; and her first husband.   The family invites everyone to join them at St. James U.C.C. after the committal services for refreshments.