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Dorothy Jean (Torkelson) Jaeggi, of Mauston, passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024 at the age of 86 years old. Dorothy was born on August 6, 1938 to Clarion and Gunelda (Greenhill) Torkelson in Brodhead, Wisconsin. She graduated from Juda High School in 1956. She met the love of her life, Sep Jaeggi at the family farm when she came down to the barn and he was playing cards with her brother Donny as they were farrowing the pigs. They saw each other again at the dance at Bluffview, where he asked her to dance. She responded, “I’m not a very good dancer,” but they danced anyway and she stepped on his toes multiple times. He asked if he could drive her home from the dance, so began their courtship. They went to many dances after that.

They were married on May 3, 1958. They welcomed a son, Joey, and moved into Jefferson Center Co-op in Twin Grove, WI, where Sep was a cheesemaker with his dad Joe Jaeggi Sr., and later in partnership with his brother, Huns Jaeggi. They welcomed a daughter, Judy two years later. Dorothy worked alongside her “Seppi” for most of their 66 years of marriage. While in Twin Grove, she was always running errands for the factory, working in the cheese store, taking care of her family, and being a part of the activities of her children. She’d go sledding with them, and would end up being with all the neighborhood kids. She was always involved, from being a Brownie leader for Judy’s troop, to being a chaperone on numerous school field trips, going to school events and programs.

Dorothy also worked the election polls in the 1970’s and 80’s at the Bank of Juda in the community room, where Joey and Judy would stop by to see her after school before they went home. There were also the adventures going snowmobiling on the trails up by Blanchardville with Sep and the kids, her uncles, aunts and cousins, then going to Fan Fair in Nashville, and going to Hawaii with Sep for their 25th wedding anniversary.

In 1985 Sep, Dorothy, and the kids moved to Mauston, WI. In 1991 Sep, Dorothy and Joey started a cheese plant, Jaeggi Hillsdale Country Cheese in Reading, Michigan. Dorothy ran the cheese store, took care of the office duties, ran testing for the lab, and worked alongside her husband and son for 16 years before they retired and moved back to Mauston in 2006. Upon retirement, Dorothy was busy at home. She loved decorating, (especially for Christmas), landscaping, planting flowers, trees and plants, doing ceramics, macramé and walking Cheyanne, the family Alaskan Malamute.

She always seemed to find the heaviest rocks and concrete yard decorations which “Seppi” had to lift for her, (which was an inside joke between the two of them). She had a love for clothes, sports cars – her TransAm, turquoise jewelry, coats and boots. She will always be remembered for her laugh, her sense of humor, and her love. She was small but mighty, “a tough little Norwegian” and my best friend.

Dorothy is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 66 years, Sep Jaeggi; her son, Joey Jaeggi; her daughter, Judy Jaeggi; her sisters, Harlene Gerber and Beverly Hazeltine, both of Brodhead and sister-in-law, Beverly Torkelson of Monroe. She is further survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarion and Gunelda Torkelson; brother, Donny Torkelson; brother-in-law, Glen Gerber; niece-in-law, Laura Gerber; and her fur babies, Archie, Quisto, Hailey, Nookers, Zac, Brookie, Whittie, Jake, Tiffie and Cheyenne.

Dorothy recently said she liked to dance. “Dance Dorothy Jean, you can dance now. Save one for me as I’ll ask you to dance with me when we meet again.”

A Celebration of Life for Dorothy will be held at a later date.