Dorothy Ruth Rieken

The world lost a shining light on June 13, 2025 when Dorothy Ruth (O’Toole) Rieken, a St. Paul, MN native and life-long Prescott, WI resident, was welcomed with open arms into the Church triumphantly while at the Hastings Senior Health and Living in Hastings, MN at the age of 91. She was a devoted wife of 63 years, mother, grandmother and friend to everyone she met. As an active member at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, she was willing to assist whenever help was needed, usually in the kitchen. Dorothy’s legacy lives on through her strong work ethic, passion for gathering loved ones around a grand meal, caring, generosity, compassion, and enduring love of choir concerts and musicals.

Dorothy was born in St. Paul, MN on July 7, 1933 to the late Michael Casimer and Margaret Gladys “Marge” (Vandermeade) O’Toole. She was a proud Girl Scout and graduated from Harding High School in 1951. Affectionately known as ‘Dottie’ to her classmates, she was in the choir, enjoyed watching football games, dancing, movies (Annie Get Your Gun was a favorite), and reading (Cheaper by the Dozen was a favorite book). Bookkeeping was her favorite subject, which naturally led to her working in the banking industry and for the A. A. Murphy Finance Company in St. Paul during her early years. Dorothy continued with her bookkeeping interests by caring for all the family farm and household finance work. Dorothy loved to travel and enjoyed utilizing her railroad pass, compliments of her father traveling anywhere the railroad went while working. She met her husband, Oscar Rieke (“Sonny”) Rieken, Jr., through a blind date set up by lifelong friends, Lois and Loren Soice, which ultimately led to Dorothy and Oscar getting married on September 7, 1957, in St. Paul, MN. The newlyweds subsequently purchased Elmer and Clara Hammon’s former farm in Prescott, WI where they became lifelong farmers and entrepreneurs. Oscar and Dorothy raised three sons: James (Jim), Danny (Dan) and Thomas (Tom) across the road from the former Wachtler farm (where Oscar and his family were raised). Over the years, Dorothy’s unwavering support ensured the family farm flourished, supporting the greater Prescott community in a multitude of ways. Their business sold and delivered fresh eggs, fresh chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, beef, pork, hay, and many other garden commodities to local residents and businesses including Ptacek’s groceries, Prescott bakery and Ellsworth Creamery. Everyone consistently commended them on the superb quality of the farm products, something both Dorothy and Oscar took immense pride in. She also supported the family and farm during many early mornings, late evenings, summer swim lesson routes, and evening/weekend sporting or band event trips while Oscar drove school bus. She was involved in supporting the community 4-H program for many years helping children with projects, meetings and getting ready for the annual Pierce County Fair each August. Oscar and Dorothy eventually retired from farming and moved into the town of Prescott until Oscar passed away in 2020. She enjoyed her time with fellow residents playing cards at WellHaven Senior Living in River Falls, WI until eventually moving to Hastings Senior Health and Living in Hastings, MN. Dorothy was a friend to all and sought to make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed. Dorothy delighted in her children and grandchildren, as evident by her attendance at many of their activities. She was known as an excellent cook and baker with smells wafting through the kitchen of fresh cookies, bread, strawberry rhubarb pie, or canning garden produce.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Margaret G. O’Toole; her husband, Oscar Rieken; her sister-in-laws, Veta (Victor) Wichman; Lura (Jack) Stockinger and Louise Rieken, Aunts Orpha Hazel Vandermade (Dale) Zimmer and Margaret Mary O’Toole.

Dorothy is survived by her sons, Jim Rieken of Prescott, WI, Dan (Lisa Bruer) Rieken of Fredericksburg, VA, Tom (Dena) Rieken of Prescott, WI; her grandchildren, Calista and Collin Rieken of Fredericksburg, VA, Dylan Rieken of Lakeville, MN, Ashley Rieken of Prescott, WI, and Noah Rieken of River Falls, WI; three nieces and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on June 18, 2025, from 1 - 3 pm at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1048 Campbell Street North, Prescott, WI with the celebration of life following immediately afterward. Interment will be in Pine Glen Cemetery, Prescott, WI.

Services have been entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Prescott, WI. For more information, please see www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com, or call 715-262-5404.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Hastings Senior Health and Living in addition to Grace Hospice for their compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1048 Campbell Street North, Prescott, WI 54021.