MN MN - Dorothy Limestahl, 46, Winona, 1 Oct 1985

[sunnynz]

I can't find a thread for Dorothy. She went missing 1 Oct 1985 from Winona, MN. There is very little info on her disappearance and the one photo is from 1972.



Dorothy Mae Limestahl
Missing Since: October 01, 1985
Location Last Seen: Winona, Winona County, Minnesota
Physical Description
Age at Time of Disappearance: 46 yrs old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height at Time of Disappearance: 5'3"
Weight at Time of Disappearance: 110 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Alias(s) / Nickname(s): None
Distinguishing Marks/Features: None
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Circumstances of Disappearance: Ms. Limestahl has been missing since October 01, 1985.
Agency Name: Winona County Sheriff Office
Agency Phone Number: 507-457-6368
Agency Case Number: 890111

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3359dfmn.html
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/12978/73

According to an obituary I found, Dorothy left behind a husband and possibly some children.

 

[alb1on]

Originally Dorothy Moen. Married Kenneth Limestahl in 1961. Seems to have had several children from the obituary of her grandson who died in 2015.

 

[sunnynz]

Here is Dorothy’s wedding announcement, including detail on her family and her profession as a medical technician. (NB, there was another Dorothy Moen living in the same area at the same time but her father’s name was Alfred, whereas Dorothy Moen Limestahl’s father was Edwin). https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/43530487/


Dorothy’s sister Beverly’s wedding announcement. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/43626613/

Dorothy’s sister Jeanette’s obituary from 2001 which infers that the family believe Dorothy is deceased (i.e. she’s not listed as a surviving sibling) http://lacrossetribune.com/lifestyl...cle_0fb254fc-a9ef-51ad-84ba-4b05e16d447e.html

Birth announcement for Dorothy’s son Todd – it appears they were living in Albuquerque at that time (1966) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/81903740/

Dorothy’s father’s listing on findagrave lists out all the siblings but misspells Limestahl https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=141415071

No reference to Dorothy’s disappearance in anything that I can find online including in the social media of family (as far as I can see so far).

 

[Gardener1850]

Looks like she married a second time in 1984 in Nevada: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVDG-1TZ

They divorced in Minnesota in May 1985: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKSD-P16

 

[sunnynz]

Looks like she married a second time in 1984 in Nevada: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVDG-1TZ

They divorced in Minnesota in May 1985: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKSD-P16

That's a quick turnaround for a divorce isn't it? Maybe I watch too much TV but don't you have to wait a couple of years before it's finalised in the US?

 

[Gardener1850]

That's a quick turnaround for a divorce isn't it? Maybe I watch too much TV but don't you have to wait a couple of years before it's finalised in the US?

It depends on the state and the reasons for the divorce. They all have different laws. I know from doing Genealogy that I have seen plenty of marriages end that quickly. Since they were married in Las Vegas, perhaps they never lived together and it was easy to show the court that? IDK. But if she kept using the last name of her second husband and decided to start a new life with that name, she would be harder to find. I found many people named Dorothy Baron in public address records but it's hard to find evidence any of them are her.

 

[Damarna]

As I've been reading more it dawned on me that Whitehall (WI) is a rather small town - suppose maybe 1,500 give or take at the time. I have relatives from there. Cousins off my mom or something like that - but some still keep in touch. I'll reach out to them and see if anyone was familiar with the family or situation.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Gardener1850]

As I've been reading more it dawned on me that Whitehall (WI) is a rather small town - suppose maybe 1,500 give or take at the time. I have relatives from there. Cousins off my mom or something like that - but some still keep in touch. I'll reach out to them and see if anyone was familiar with the family or situation.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Thanks, Damarna! It would be great if someone could find news coverage from when Dorothy went missing. Maybe the small town paper has something not online? Or even an old yearbook photo of her. Even though she went missing in her 40's a clearer picture of her from when she was younger could be age enhanced.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Dorothy, now missing over 35 years

 

[Teamir]

I located a brief mention on a paywalled site that she was a dog showing enthusiast.
The newspaper name was

Winona Daily News, Issue Date:Sunday, July 23, 1978​

 

[Teamir]

I located a brief mention on a paywalled site that she was a dog showing enthusiast.
The newspaper name was

Winona Daily News, Issue Date:Sunday, July 23, 1978​

And another article mentioned that she was showing a Maltese female

The La Crosse Tribune​

Saturday, October 1, 1977

 

[Teamir]

I’m attempting to locate info on her first spouse, and any others if there are any. I found an obituary for a “Kenneth Limestahl” death 11/7/2014, in Whitebear Lake, MN. There is no info, no traditional obit, it’s the bare minimum. Do we think this may be spouse #1?

 

[alb1on]

I’m attempting to locate info on her first spouse, and any others if there are any. I found an obituary for a “Kenneth Limestahl” death 11/7/2014, in Whitebear Lake, MN. There is no info, no traditional obit, it’s the bare minimum. Do we think this may be spouse #1?

It almost certainly is her former spouse as it is the right area, Ancestry records confirm a full name of Kenneth William on both a marriage record to Dorothy Mae Moen and on a death record for the date and location, and the birthdate on the death record is consistent with the one on the divorce record for Kenneth and Dorothy. The order of the children listed on the father's Find a Grave linked on #3 above is odd as Dorothy is confirmed (by other records on Ancestry) as the twin of Thea (who died soon after birth). You would have expected them to be listed next to each other as the others seem to be in birth order. It is probably irrelevant, but strange. At the time of marriage Kenneth Limestahl was a student at The Milwaukee School of Mines.

 

[Teamir]

I located two sons of hers, and possibly a daughter. One of the sons has 9 pages of circuit court cases in Wisconsin. An astute former law enforcement friend pointed out that many are in the winter and speculated that he is homeless and commits minor crimes to get out of the cold weather. The other son has an arson conviction.

 

[Teamir]

Looks like she married a second time in 1984 in Nevada: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVDG-1TZ

They divorced in Minnesota in May 1985: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKSD-P16

Are you able to post any pics of this? I’m unable to access that website and I was unable to verify anywhere.

 

[Pennysmom1]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Case Information​

Demographics​

Missing Age 46 Years
Current Age 84 Years
Legal First Name Dorothy
Middle Name Mae
Legal Last Name Limestahl
Chosen Name/Nickname/Alias--

Biological Sex Female
Height 5' 3" (63 Inches)
Weight 110 lbs
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian

Circumstances​

Date of Last Contact October 1, 1985
NamUs Case Created November 18, 2011

Last Known Location Map​

Location Winona, Minnesota
County Winona County
Missing From Tribal Land No
Primary Residence on Tribal Land Unknown
Circumstances of Disappearance unknown

Physical Description​

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color Brown
Right Eye Color Brown

 

[Teamir]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

View attachment 480036

Case Information​

Demographics​

Missing Age 46 Years
Current Age 84 Years
Legal First Name Dorothy
Middle Name Mae
Legal Last Name Limestahl
Chosen Name/Nickname/Alias--

Biological Sex Female
Height 5' 3" (63 Inches)
Weight 110 lbs
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian

Circumstances​

Date of Last Contact October 1, 1985
NamUs Case Created November 18, 2011

Last Known Location Map​

Location Winona, Minnesota
County Winona County
Missing From Tribal Land No
Primary Residence on Tribal Land Unknown
Circumstances of Disappearance unknown

Physical Description​

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color Brown
Right Eye Color Brown

Thanks Pennysmom1, I’m doing a “deep dive” on this one. The people who might have info are slowly decreasing. I’m hoping for one last big effort before they are all gone.

 

[Richard]

Dorothy Limestahl has been missing for almost 39 years. Her case remains an unsolved one, yet is NOT included on the website for Minnesota clearinghouse for Missing and Unidentified Persons.

I wonder if the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Aprehension (BCA) has this as an active cold case?

 

[Teamir]

I was able to locate a lot of information on this one. It looks like her second husband (mid-divorce timeframe) went to Florida and returned with a stolen car and then refused to be extradited to Florida and then later killed himself. In my opinion, Dorothy is likely deceased either in Florida or along the route from Florida to Winona.


Dorothy was divorced from Kenneth Limestahl on 1/21/1982 in Winona, MN.
1/5/1984 Winona Daily News, Dorothy Limestahl 418 Matilda St will join Walter Mondale’s campaign staff. Will coordinate volunteers in Iowa until the 2/20 caucus then head’s to Maine, southwestern US and other states.
3/27/1984 Winona Daily News - Dorothy May Limestahl, driving while intoxicated
4/30/1984 Winona Daily News quitclaim deed from Dorothy to Kenneth Limestahl for property
Per ancestry dot com, married to Norman John Baron in Clark County Nevada on 9/15/1984 (Winona Daily News 12/5/1983 mention of Elaine and Norman Baron, 462 W King St, Winona
1/15/1984 Winona Daily News, divorce of Elaine and Norman)
10/20/1984 - Winona Daily News, Dorothy Limestahl, Homer, appointed to coordinate volunteers at the DFL Headquarters in the Winona Mall. Prior to assuming the position, she was a member of Walter Mondale’s national field staff.
2/13/1985 Winona Daily News, Dorothy Limestahl Baron, Winona Rt 1, Box 22B, reports her purse was stolen downtown Winona overnight.
3/14/1985 - Winona Daily News - Norman John Baron, formerly of Winona Rt 1, was picked up by police for being a missing person Wednesday; missing since December. Grand theft auto from Tallahassee, FL. Accused of stealing a rental car which was found in a ditch in Wilson township Tuesday night. Refused to be extradited to Florida.
Divorced from Norman on 5/20/1985 in Winona, MN (In the Winona Daily News 6/3/1985 “Norman Baron, c / o Darby, Delano, Price, Thompson & Johnson, 59 Plaza West, and Dorothy Limestahl Baron, Box 240, Homer, MN”)
5/11/1986 Winona Daily News - advertisement to sell Dorothy Limestahl property and household furnishings
7/20/1986 Winona Daily News - article about Norman John Baron died of purposeful asphyxiation in his car. Had been living in Sheboygan and then with his parent’s; resigned his teaching post in early 1985 due to emotional difficulties. A note found mentioned loneliness and depression.

 

[Teamir]

Now, on the flip side, there were people associated with her who had/have extensive criminal records, so there's some possibilities there too. I did finally locate a more up to date photo but it's an indirect look. It's from the 11/4/1979 Winona Daily News and is related to her with her show dog (a Maltese).