Doris E. Lehto
Doris “Dodo” Elaine Lehto, 94, formerly of Embarrass, died peacefully with family by her side on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Fargo, N.D. A gathering will take place on Friday, June 26 at the Embarrass Town Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Doris was born on Aug. 12, 1931, to Ruth and Jalmer Salmela. Weighing only two pounds at birth, she was born in the Nelimark home of her grandparents in Embarrass. She graduated from Embarrass High School in 1949. On June 11, 1950, she married Robert Lehto in Virginia. When Bob was called back to the service for burial duty, they lived in Minneapolis and then moved to Parkville for a short time before moving back to Embarrass, where they built their home. In her last few years, she lived in an apartment in Moorhead.
Doris worked at Lamppa’s, as a substitute mail carrier, and she folded shirts at Cluett-Peabody Shirt Factory. She also worked as a CNA and a kitchen attendant at Arrowhead Nursing Home in Virginia.
Her passion was helping others, whether it was family, friends, or neighbors, while enjoying the conversation, often with laughter. Volunteering in the community kept her busy. You might have seen her at the Embarrass Town Hall, the Timber Hall, or the Nelimark Finnish Homestead. She enjoyed attending and frequently volunteered at the Embarrass Finnish-American Festival, the Embarrass Fair, or a Pancake Breakfast. She enjoyed making ice candles for the Finnish Christmas tradition of lighting the cemetery, sometimes filling her deck with hundreds of the ice candles.
Doris is survived by her sister, Lois Frazee of Tower; daughter, Sharon Kangas of Plymouth; son, Craig (MaryBeth) Lehto of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; grandchildren, Nicole (Josh) Brown of Plymouth, Amanda Lahti (Shaten Kahlstorf) of Dayton, Kristen Kangas (Troy Oklak) of Chaska, Danielle (Ross) Kolp of Fargo, N.D., Jennifer Frank of Fargo, N.D., Jackie Lehto of Barnesville, Erik (Heather) Lehto of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Jamieson Lehto (Kyle Hodge) of Boulder, Colo.; great-grandchildren, Sienna, Oliver, Preston, Ryder, Dane, Asher, Brynnlee, Xavier, Francis and Henry; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Mark Lehto; daughter, Lori Lehto; son-in-law, Herbert Kangas; and daughter-in-law, Lynn Dee Lehto.
