Doris M. Persons

St. Charles, MN Doris M. Persons, 88, of St. Charles, MN, died Sunday, March 30, 2008 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. Doris was born November 16, 1919 in rural St. Charles to Chancy and Selma (Nienow) Persons. She graduated from St. Charles High School and took Normal training under Miss Boyd at St. Charles. The following 6 years she was busy teaching in rural schools, and then attended Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis. Doris took an extra year at Northwestern to concentrate on Mission, French and basic medical training as well as the accordion. In 1949, Doris became the first missionary from the St. Charles Bible Church to set sail for the Belgian Congo under the Africa Inland Mission. She taught in the Teacher Training School and learned to speak Swahili. She retired from her missionary work in 1982. After retiring, she resided in Rochester, MN for 12 years, working for the Salvation Army and New Life Family Services. Doris was a member of the Ladies Missionary Fellowship at the St. Charles Bible Church in St. Charles and the international church program, AWANA Club. She enjoyed picking wildflowers, butterfly catching, birds, making and delivering pies, teaching release time at the Bible School, and taking food to the needy. She will be dearly missed. Doris is survived by her sister Emily Urban; brother Curtis (Marjorie) Persons; sister-in-law Donna Persons, all of St. Charles; 24 nieces and nephews; and many great nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, one niece and two nephews. The Funeral Service for Doris will be held at 3:00pm on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at the St. Charles Bible Church in St. Charles with the Reverends Jim Barnhart and Les Pearson co-officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in St. Charles. Friends may call from 4-7pm on Friday, April 4 at Hoff Funeral Home-St. Charles Chapel in St. Charles and also one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Memorials are preferred to The Voice of the Martyrs. Please feel free to share a memory of Doris with her family and sign the on-line guestbook at www.hofffuneral.com