Lorna Joy James

   LORNA JOY (DOBIE) JAMES, age 94, of Worthington, died Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the Sunset Cottage in Worthington. Lorna was born on October 14, 1926 to Judge N.A. and Maude (Paulsen) Dobie in Clear Lake, South Dakota. She attended Clear Lake Public Schools graduating in 1944. Lorna graduated in Home Economic Education from South Dakota State University in Brookings in 1948. While at South Dakota State University, she met her first husband Duane Fish. She began her teaching in Castlewood South Dakota teaching Home Economics and then moved to Worthington MN where she taught both Art and Home Economics. Eventually her teaching load was shifted to full time Art Education, her lifelong passion. While teaching secondary art education in Worthington, she expanded her mastery of other types of arts and eventually earned a Masters of Fine Arts through St, Cloud State University. 
   In 1974, she married her second husband Robert James and together they developed an antique business that was wide ranging in items including many fine furniture restorations. Even though teaching and antiques occupied much of her time, she always made time for her art, eventually focusing on watercolors. Despite spending hundreds of hours sketching landscapes and painting, she always kept her creativity open by trying new types of art from jewelry, textile arts and collages. She travelled the world to see art in its form from the pyramids of Egypt, the wool crafts of Finland to islands in the South Pacific. One of her great joys after retirement was seeing and hearing from former students who continued her passion for art. Her family was a source of pride, be it children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. As a second generation immigrant, that pride even extended to her Scottish and Danish ancestors. At the age of 76 she even traveled to visit the graves of Dobies in Lockerbie Scotland back to the 1400’s and as well as the original homestead. 
   Lorna is survived by her son, Tomas (Sandie) Fish; daughter, Patti (John) Keding; step children, Mike (Janice) James; and Patti James; four grandsons; two step-grandsons; and five great grandchildren. 
   She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob James; parents; brother, Dale Dobie; and sister, Marlene Bleeker. 

A memorial service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 14, at the Dingmann Funeral Home, in Worthington; with a visitation an hour prior. A private burial will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to be made to the Nobles County Art Center, 407 12th St. suite #3, Worthington, MN 56187 

  To live stream the funeral service please visit http://www.facebook.com/DingmannFH