Dorothy Hopkirk Ackerman

Ackerman, Dorothy Hopkirk.

Minneapolis artist Dorothy Hopkirk Ackerman died in her Minneapolis home on March 10 at age 90. She was born in New York City in 1920, and received a BA in Art from Brown University/Rhode Island School of Design followed by a MA in Art Education from Columbia University and further work on a MFA at Penn State. Later in Minnesota she studied with Katherine Nash, Warren Mackenzie and Peter Lupori. She taught Art and Ceramics at Penn State, the College of St. Theresa and local community schools. She led Art Therapy workshops at Rochester State Hospital and at Grandview College in Des Moines. Her sculptures and ceramics were shown with acclaim in many state and local juried shows, and reside in many private collections. In addition to her art career, she also taught classes in Yoga, Transactional Analysis, and Past Lives. She was a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Minnesota, and held local committee and other leadership positions. She was the Field Secretary of the Friends General Conference for the Upper Midwest, and attended international Quaker conferences in Kenya and Japan. She is survived by her husband Eugene, a retired professor of Biomedical Computing at the University of Minnesota, as well as sons Frank (Becky) of Boston and Emmanuel of New York City, and daughter Amy (Gunnar) de Canesie who lives in Sweden. Two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren also live in Sweden; two other granddaughters reside in the U.S. Her brother Jack (Priscilla) died five years ago; her sister Eleanor (Don) Stevens lives in Albuquerque. A service of remembrance will be held Saturday March 19th from 2-3 pm at Twin Cities Friends Meeting, 1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul, followed by a reception. Memorials are preferred to Quaker organizations such as American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia PA 19102 or Friends General Conference, 1216 Arch St., #2B, Philadelphia PA 19107. Twin Cities Cremation 651-645-1233

This page last updated on March 20, 2011