Backstrom, Dorothy (Doodee) Ann Kilpatrick, age 90, of Bloomington. Doodee was born and raised in Waukesha, WI. After high school, Doodee became a registered nurse and worked in both Chicago and Minneapolis. She married, had four children, and enjoyed being a full-time mom. She made many friends during this stage of her life who became lifelong companions. After her first marriage ended, she met Don Backstrom, who had two children of his own. When Don and Doodee married in 1969 they began a very full life together raising a blended family of seven kids under the age of 11.

In addition to tending to children, Doodee started volunteering, which became a lifelong passion. She led a Girl Scout troop, joined the boards of YMCA Camp Ihduhapi and the Bloomington Advisory Board of Health, facilitated check-ins at Teenage Medical Service (TAMS), helped survivors at the Domestic Abuse Project, provided massages and held hands at the Minnesota AIDS Project, became involved with Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and staffed the information desk at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. She was very proud to have co-founded Cornerstone Advocacy Service in 1983, which has grown to serve thousands of people annually. Doodee, Don, and their family were also active at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she was a choir member, elder, and served on the endowment and columbarium committees.

A big source of joy and relaxation was the family’s cabin on Gunflint Lake along the border with Canada. They purchased property in 1970 and together built a home that continues to be used today by children and grandchildren. It remains filled with memories of fishing, canoeing, cross country skiing, and socializing with friends and neighbors. Don and Doodee also enjoyed traveling to South America, Mexico, and much of Europe.

Don died in 2001, but Doodee continued a busy and fulfilling life. She spent winters in Green Valley, AZ, where she got involved with the Green Valley Samaritans, a group committed to saving lives and reducing human suffering along the Arizona-Mexico border. She also joined the Bloomington Noon Rotary Club and involved herself in its many service endeavors, including international projects. These acts of service and volunteerism were the heart of who Doodee was.

Doodee was preceded in death by her husband Don, her brother Tom Kilpatrick, and parents Harry and Dorothy Kilpatrick. She is survived by her children Mike Countryman, Joan Countryman (Gina Hughes), David Backstrom (Holly Weston), Anne Awsumb, Nancy (Randy) Lindberg, Bob (Abby) Countryman, and Carol Backstrom (Scott Chambers), 10 grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, January 16 at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church. Visitation will start at 12:00 pm and the celebration will be at 1:00 pm. Reception to follow at 9 Mile Brewing. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Cornerstone Advocacy Service or Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.