Dorothy J. Wolf

Dorothy J. (TenEyck) Wolf, of Shakopee, Minnesota, passed into God's arms on Friday, November 7, 2025. Dorothy was 88 years old.
We will celebrate Dorothy's life and spirit with a Christian funeral service on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Shepard of the Lake Lutheran Church, 3611 North Berens Road NW - Prior Lake, MN. The service will begin at 11:30 AM. Luncheon will follow the service, with burial concluding the events at Valley Cemetery in Shakopee, MN.
A gathering of family and friends will be hosted at McNearney-Schmidt Funeral and Cremation, 1220 3rd Avenue East - Shakopee, MN, beginning at 4:00 PM and ending at 8:00 PM on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church.
Dorothy was born to Leonard and Dorothea Kaiser on December 24, 1936. She was sure to share with others how having a Christmas Birthday was not as great as some may think it is.
Dorothy grew up on Fish Lake, Prior Lake MN, and spent much of her time helping with chores on their family-owned mink farm. As with most families during those times, it was expected and needed for all family members to work. She enjoyed playing outdoors with her other siblings and often shared that because she was the one who had enough money to buy the football that her brothers would have to let her play. There were many shenanigans that she and her siblings instigated, and the stories became legendary when they would get together throughout the years to share and laugh.
Dorothy attended Jordan Public Schools and graduated in 1954. She attended every class reunion, with the most recent one in August of 2025. Once she graduated from High School, she attended nursing school in Mankato. She could not continue past the first year due to her being unable to afford to go. She then accepted a job in Shakopee, caring for an elderly woman, and it was in Shakopee that she met Charles TenEyck, who she married in 1956 until his death in 1983. They raised six children, and together they worked in their large garden, fruit orchard, grapes, raspberries, and honeybees. Dorothy was an expert at canning, cooking, baking, and jelly making. She would submit a honey basket and baked goods each year at the Minnesota State Fair and won several ribbons for her skills. She was well known for her cooking and shared those talents with her church family at Christ Lutheran in Shakopee for 26 years as an original founder. There was not a church dinner in which she was not one of the main "kitchen ladies" who organized and worked at every function. Dorothy was best known for the church bake sales when her Hungarian Coffee Cakes were the very first thing sold with people waiting in line to get one. To this day, all her children and grandchildren were instructed and expected to assist her in making one, so they knew how to do it properly. Dorothy then brought these talents to Cross of Peace Lutheran church in Shakopee as one of the original congregants in 1990 and remained a member for 35 years. Her dedication to the churches she attended was a testament to her faith and a model to her family.
There was not a place where Dorothy had not volunteered or assisted in some way within the Shakopee community. She became active in community education events, drives for school funding, advocacy for fluoride in the city water, school field trips, Girl Scouts, Cub Scout leader, church youth group leader, Sunday school teaching, and a nursing home activities volunteer. Many times, her children were expected to accompany her in volunteer work to provide them with the value of serving others. Dorothy was most generous when it came to those who needed help of any kind. It was not unusual for her to care for others when they needed food, clothing, love, support, or a place to stay. They would always be welcomed into the TenEyck home with the same affection and comfort she showed to her own family. Dorothy was an original founder of the Shakopee Dollars for Scholars scholarship program, which is well known throughout most communities. She worked tirelessly to be sure that all High School graduates had an opportunity to earn a scholarship to assist them in affording college. To this day, there is a Dorothy TenEyck scholarship awarded each year.
Dorothy held many jobs, but most were related to food service. She worked several years as a house cleaner but then transitioned into food service at the Shakopee Happy Chef and Chaska Bell. She married Alvin Wolf in 1988, and together they moved to Underwood, MN, where she bought the Underwood Farmhouse Café and then eventually the Dalton Café. She worked night and day, baking and cooking homemade meals and desserts. Her recipes were used in every aspect of the restaurant, but very well known for her potato pancakes as she had a special night on which they were featured. Once she sold both cafes, she and Alvin moved back to Shakopee as his health needed additional care, and he passed away in 2003.
Dorothy continued her journey in Shakopee, living in the River City apartments where she made many friends and lived true to her vocation of feeding others. She hosted donuts in the building and then began "Lunch with Dorothy," in which the apartment residents could sign up for a homemade lunch at a very nominal fee to cover the costs of the ingredients that Dorothy would make herself. These lunches were famous for being wonderful and always included one of her home-made desserts. For Dorothy, it was all about fostering community in the building and making food for those who may not cook. You could find construction workers coming in to eat as well!
Although diagnosed with a neurological disorder that affected her speech and mobility, there was nothing that Dorothy would not do to make her life all that it should be. She worked hard at keeping up with everything needed to continue her journey. She entered the Gardens Assisted Living in 2020 and touched many lives with her lively conversations, quick laughs, building activities, and being a part of the food committee. All of those around her loved her, especially the staff who provided her with loving care. This was evident by the number of people who came to see her in her final days.
Dorothy loved nothing as intensely as she loved her family, and it showed in their utmost dedication and adoration to her. She never missed an event for her children and grandchildren. She was the glue of the family that made sure the family always stayed connected. Dorothy went into the arms of Jesus with children and grandchildren surrounding her, as they had for most of her life. The love and care provided to Dorothy by The Gardens Assisted Living will always be appreciated by her family. Mom will forever be in our hearts and her legacy lives in the many she has touched.
Survivors include her children, Irene TenEyck and Brian Hopkins (LaCrosse WI); Paul and Cathy TenEyck, (Shakopee, MN); Cal and Esther TenEyck, (Shakopee, MN); Susan TenEyck-Stafki and Shawn Stafki, (Perham, MN); Les and Jennifer TenEyck, (Shakopee, MN); her brother, Clarence "Clancy" Kaiser (Jordan, MN). She was blessed with 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles TenEyck; husband, Alvin Wolf; grandson, Andrew TenEyck; son, Chuck TenEyck; mother, Dorothea Kaiser; father, Leonard Kaiser; sister, Virginia Benitez; brothers, Larry, and Bobby Kaiser.
**The family requests that memorials be earmarked for Dollars for Scholars Dorothy TenEyck scholarship.