Dorothy was one of the most kind and caring women you would ever meet. Dorothy Emma Podoll was born in Jud, North Dakota on May 22, 1930, to Robert and Elizabeth Podoll. Dorothy’s childhood taught her respect and the importance of hard work in order to survive.
She attended a country school with her siblings and had to walk 1 ¾ miles to school each day. Some days, Dorothy’s older sister Betty would actually carry her on her back when she got tired because she was the youngest. In the 9th grade, the country school closed and Dorothy went to school in Jud where she graduated in 1947. She then went on to further her education at Valley City State University where she graduated with her teaching degree. During this time, Dorothy was blessed with the help of her big sister Betty — who due to family financial strains — helped to pay Dorothy’s way through college. Dorothy became a proud business teacher. She began her career teaching in North Dakota before coming to Wolf Point. Dorothy taught typing and short hand. Her kindness and teaching skills are still talked about by many today.
It was in Wolf Point that Dorothy met a very special bus driver and farmer, the love of her life, Leland Warmbrod. Dorothy and Leland were united in marriage on June 5, 1960. Nine years later, Dorothy and Leland adopted their first child, Linda. They were not finished yet. They adopted a son, Loren 2 ½ years later. Loren, Linda, her grandchildren and great-grandson were the focus of Dorothy’s life and she touched the hearts of each one of them.
Dorothy retired from her career as a teacher to be a stay-home mother and farm wife until Linda and Loren were in middle school. It was then; Dorothy took a new path in life as the secretary of First Lutheran Church. There she was a permanent fixture in the First Lutheran Church for over 20 years.
Dorothy loved to do whatever made her family happy. Whether it was camping at the lake with the Gabrielson family, playing cards with her friends, or giving her free-time and dedication to the community. She loved being around children, teaching Sunday School, leading Linda’s Brownie Troop, supervising Boy Scouts, and attending all of Loren’s baseball games. In her free time, she spent her hours doing cross-word puzzles, playing the piano, and nurturing her prized peonies.
Dorothy’s last few years of life were difficult but she always had a smile on her face. She was always sitting in her chair at the entrance at Faith Lutheran Home watching people come and go and enjoying the birds.
Survivors include her son, Loren (Becca) Warmbrod; daughter, Linda Warmbrod Martinez; her beloved big sister, Betty Nei; grandchildren, Michael, Blake, Annalyssa, Dylan, Matt, and Jodi; great-grandson, Elliot; sister-in-law, Edith Warmbrod; and sister-in-law, Lois Balcer and numerous nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her brother Robert “Bobby” Podoll, her sister, Clara Mae Podoll, and her parents.
Dorothy is now home with the love her life Leland and dog Jack and kitty Spaz making her homemade brownies.