Obituary for Gaye Helen Doeden

Gaye Helen (Gleason) Doeden, age 89, of Coralville, Iowa, passed away surrounded by family on March 4, 2025. Born in 1936 in Windom, Minnesota, Gaye led a life of love, service, and dedication to her family, her faith, and her community. 

Gaye began her career as a Home Economics teacher in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. In 1961, Gaye married Norman Thomas Doeden in Dundee, Minnesota, beginning a loving partnership that spanned over 63 years. Together, they had three children: Craig, Andrea, and Kerri. Norm and Gaye’s adventurous spirit led them to Japan, where they served as lay missionaries for Lutheran Church of America (LCA) for ten years, a time that profoundly impacted their lives. After returning to the U.S., they settled in Richfield, Minnesota, where they lived for 31 years.  Gaye served first as a substitute teacher in the Richfield public school system, and then in a supervisory role in the Hennepin County Library System in the Twin Cities, where she worked for many years. In 1999 Gaye retired, after seeing how much fun Norm was having.  They relocated to Coralville, Iowa, in 2006. 

Gaye had many passions that brought her peace and joy. She loved nature including birds, flowers, and walks outside. She and Norm were Iowa Women’s Basketball season ticketholders and avid fans for over 18 years. She spent her 88th birthday in the stands watching the game in which Caitlin Clark scored her single-game point high and broke the NCAA Division I women’s career scoring record. Gaye found great joy in family, especially her grandchildren. Her competitive spirit came out in her love of board and card games. It seemed to children and grandchildren alike, much to their amusement, that Grandma always won.

Those who knew and loved her, will miss her ever-present smile, her warm hospitality, her quiet strength, and her faith from which stemmed the care and encouragement she demonstrated to all whom she encountered.

Gaye is predeceased by her brother, Eldon “Junior” Gleason, and her daughter, Andrea Doeden. She is survived by her beloved husband, Norman, her children, Craig (Kyuri) Doeden and Kerri (Eric) Goers, and her son-in-law, Paul (Andrea) Tennery. She took great delight in her grandchildren: Noah, Kenna, and Andrew Doeden; Ethan, Sophie, and Chloe Goers; and Jacob, Elizabeth, Tristan, Ian, Philip, Seth, Gabrielle, Bradly, and Jillian Tennery.

A service to celebrate Gaye’s life will be held on March 29th at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City, Iowa.  The visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., the funeral at 11:00 a.m., with a brunch to follow allowing family and friends to reconnect and honor her memory. The service may also be watched remotely at https://vimeo.com/event/4983961

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City or Iowa City Hospice in Gaye’s memory.