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Dorothy Mae Tam, 99, of Storm Lake passed away peacefully late Thursday night, Dec. 25, 2025, at Methodist Manor of Storm Lake.
Visitation will take place Saturday, Jan. 24, from 2-4 p.m. with Prayer Service at 3:30 p.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Private Family Graveside Services will take place at a later date in Oakland Cemetery in Peterson.
Dorothy was born to Martin and Lucille Olsen on Jan. 17, 1926, in Alta. In 1944, Dorothy married Oliver Anderson who joined the Army to serve in the second World War. She soon moved to Minneapolis, Minn., to help with the war effort. Her daughter Cheryl was born in 1945 and her son Eugene was born in 1947. After her marriage to Oliver, she later married Bob Ebert. After Bob passed, she married Gerard Tam. Along the way, she owned her own cafe, ran a major department store diamond business and opened a jewelry business alongside her husband Gerard. Work was very important to Dorothy as she continued to work until she was 94 years of age. She inspired people around her by being supportive and loving, always concerned for the welfare of others.
Dorothy appreciated her family history by a love of genealogy. She documented her family history including the touchstone of her grandfather's Norwegian “Traveling Trunk,” spending many holidays sharing it with her loved ones, her travels to many different places, through her meticulous record keeping and vast amounts of pictures. Her beautiful smile, compassion for everyone and her many different sayings from the past will be dearly missed!
She also had a great love for baking and feeding all who would come to visit. Her famous brownies, rhubarb and pumpkin pies will live on through her many times teaching her grandsons and great-grandkids her pie making skills and secrets! No one left Dorothy's house hungry.
In recent years, she fought failing eyesight with glaucoma and macular degeneration; however, she didn't let that stop her constant reading and learning about current events. Her son had passed at a young age, but she treasured the relationships and times spent with her daughter, her two grandsons along with their families for her entire life. The stories of her wide and varied life inspires them and continues to guide their thoughts and actions everyday.
She is survived by her daughter Sherry Aryanpur of Storm Lake; her two grandsons, Rob (Zan) Fiorendino of Minneapolis, Minn., and Gene (Donna) Fiorendino of Storm Lake; her stepson Ed (Pam) Tam of Polk City; her great-grandchildren: Ben Fiorendino of Duluth, Minn.; Tanner Fiorendino of Ames; and Madison Fiorendino of Storm Lake; two step-great-grandchildren and their families; a brother, David Olsen of Dow City; and many nieces, nephews and extended family, that she cherished.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Martin and Lucille Olsen; her son Eugene; son-in-law Manoocher Aryanpur; her sister-in-law Shirley Olsen; husband Oliver Anderson; husband Bob Ebert; and husband Gerard Tam.
