Ruth Levang, 91, of Fergus Falls, formerly of Fertile, IA died Thursday, October 31, 2013 at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.

Ruth Edel (Bjornsen) Levang was born on October 22, 1922 to Svend and Marie (Mikkelsen) Bjornsen in Haugesund, NORWAY. She was baptized in Frelsers Church, Haugesund, NORWAY. During the summer of 1923, Ruth, together with her mother Marie and two older sisters, Lillian and Solveig immigrated to the United States.

In September of 1923 they arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Stavangerfjord" and began the journey to Iowa where her father Svend had already begun his farming career. In 1939 she was confirmed in Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church near Joice, Iowa by Rev. Joseph Aarhus.

She was an active participant in the youth program of Bethel as well as a member of the "string band" that ministered during those years. She was educated in the rural school nearby the family home.

On December 31, 1944, she married Arthur L. Levang at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church. Together they farmed near Fertile, Iowa and began to raise their family. On August 30, 1956, Ruth became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In the spring of 1956, the transition from the farming life to the city life began as they moved to Fertile. In 1959, they moved to Des Moines.

In 1972 Arthur's career with Xerox took them to Rochester, New York. During all of these years, Ruth did considerable in-home work and served as a volunteer for many church related activities. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, needle point, and made numerous quilts for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In 1987, upon Arthur's retirement, they moved back to Des Moines.

They remained active in church activities and traveled to Alaska, Norway, and Israel. After Arthur's death, Ruth lived alone for several years in the home she and Arthur purchased upon their return to Iowa and in the more recent years has been a resident in retirement facilities in Indianola, Iowa and Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She had a life-long testimony of loving the Lord. She was happiest when surrounded by family and friends and loved to entertain guests. Everyone was always welcome in her home.

Ruth died October 31, 2013 at age 91.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her two older and two younger siblings, (Lillian, Solveig, Kjell, Lavonne), as well as her second son, Dennis.

She is survived by her sons Paul (JoAnn) Levang, Fergus Falls, MN. and Dean (Deborah) Levang of Norwalk, Iowa, seven grandchildren—(Carrie, (Henrik Bjorndahl) of Alexandria, MN, Michael (Stacy) of Farmington, MN, Jennifer (Brent Rogness) of Moorhead, MN, Jason (Amy) of Des Moines, IA , Jodi (Matthew Puls) of West Des Moines, IA, Ryan (Nicole) of Runnells, IA, Brett (Tracy) of Urbandale, IA. Twenty-one great grandchildren—(Erik, Noah, Annika, Luke, and Britta Bjorndahl /Titus, Zoe, and Boden Levang/ Sylvia, Evan, and Caroline Rogness/Jacob and Samuel Levang/Dani Lynn and Cooper Puls/ Cooper, Dillon, Collin, and Jaxxon Levang/Peyton and Addison Levang), a sister-in-law Lois Bjornsen and fourteen nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service: 1 PM, Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Joice, Iowa. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service Visitation: 4-6 PM, Sunday, November 3, 2013 at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls with Prayer Service at 5 PM Cemetery: Elim Cemetery in rural Fertile, IA Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls

Condolences: www.GlendeNilson.com 

Robert W. Johnson, age 85 of Thompson passed away Sunday November 3, 2013 at Mercy Medical Center in Mason City.

Funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Thursday November 7, 2013 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Thompson with Pastor Lynn Noel officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thompson at a later date.

Robert Wendell Johnson was born March 18, 1928 in Forest City, Iowa to Oscar and Viola Johnson. He was raised in Thompson, Iowa and graduated from Thompson High School in 1945. He enlisted in the U.S Navy where he served during World War II. In 1949 Robert went into business with his father, owning and operating Farmers Lumber Company for many years. He also owned and operated the movie theater in Thompson with his brother-in-law, Wayne Bravick. For many years Bob and Wayne also farmed Joe Bravick’s farm northwest of Thompson. After many years in the lumber and building business, Bob sold the firm and went to work in the Winnebago County Assessor’s Office and remained there until retirement.

On June 25, 1950, Bob and Darlene Bravick were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in Thompson. They had three children, Renee, Chuck, and Julie. Bob and Darlene celebrated 63 years of marriage.

Bob was always actively involved in his community. He served for many years on the Thompson Fire Department with several of those years as chief. He was a member of the VFW as well as Bethany Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council. He was active in city affairs, serving as both a town council member and as mayor of Thompson for eight years. He was currently serving as mayor at the time of his death.

Robert is survived by his wife, Darlene, his daughter, Renee (Bill) Burchett of Ankeny, and Renee’s son Matthew (Kriss) and children Andrew and Lucas of Plymouth, MN; his son, Chuck (Tammy) of Scottsdale, AZ and their sons Nick (Liz) and Robert (Chelsea); his daughter, Julie (Rick) Helps of Johnston, and their children Ryan (Cheri) and son Logan of Grimes and Jessica (Brian) and daughter Ava of Omaha, NE, his sisters Alice (Virgil) Christianson of Springville, CA and Esther (John) Rudge of Cumming, GA as well as several nieces and nephews.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Viola.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Thompson Fire Department.

Betty Anne Haugen, 87, of White Bear Lake, MN. and formerly of Forest City, died Monday, November 11, 2013 at Serenity Care in White Bear Lake, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, November 15, 2013 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City, with Pastor Greg Anderson officiating. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery in Leland, IA.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 PM, Thursday, November 14, 2013 at Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark Street, Forest City and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Betty Anne Haugen was born on September 21, 1926, in Leland, Iowa. She was the only child of Albert and Emma Branstad. She was fond of stating that she met the love of her life, Burton Claire Haugen, when she was five years old and he was six. Given her single-minded focus and goal-oriented nature, it is not surprising that they were married in 1948. Their marriage was blessed with four healthy children. Claire died in 1992 and Betty was left to live the last 21 years without her one true love. As she always did, Betty soldiered on with a self-denying devotion to family. Betty was also fortunate to eventually have five grandchildren and five (soon to be six) great-grandchildren.

Betty graduated from Waldorf College and taught two years of elementary school in Lakota, Iowa. She was an advocate of education for all of her children and grandchildren. After teaching, Betty then married and spent most of the rest of her life in Forest City. She was a fantastic cook of the old-school, preparing what her husband liked most, which was meat and potatoes. Her Easter hams and Sunday roasts are still the stuff of famiy legend. Betty was musical from an early age and eventually gave piano lessons to many youngsters in the Forest City area. She had a penchant for encouraging others and often picked up strays and invited them over for a meal, or to stay awhile. One of her passions in later life was missionary work at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City. All of Betty's children will attest to her ability to stretch a dollar or a meal to last for a full week. Betty's life was a simple one revolving around her children, education, nature in all its forms, and in labeling any and all items in her children's homes. Betty was a non-swimmer, who never saw a boat ride she wouldn't take the whole family on. Her adventurous spirit lives in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Left to remember the good times are, David and Debra of Cloquet, MN., Tom and Phyllis of Birchwood, WI., Ellen and Don of Des Moines, and Susan and Mark of Oakdale, MN. Ben and Connie, Andy and Megan, Marc, JT, Emily, Cale, Sam, Jack, Mia, Will and one not born yet.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Claire.

MILDRED DRENTLAW 
November 11, 1913 - November 21, 2013 

Mildred Helen (Vinje) Hyland Drentlaw was born on November 11, 1913, to Olai and Dagny (Dahl) Vinje on the Sjur and Ingebjor family farm, southwest of Northwood, IA. Her grandparents immigrated from Voss, Norway in 1868. Mildred’s mother, Dagny, also immigrated as a young child from Kragero, Norway. Mildred was the middle child of 5.

Mildred Vinje attended grade school in the rural Brookfield township school. She graduated in 1931 from Northwood (IA) High School, after which she was employed at the Northwood Soda Grill, at St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, and at Walgreen’s in Mason City, IA. Then Mildred enrolled at Waldorf College, Forest City, IA, in the Business program. While at Waldorf, she met Irwin Z. Hyland, Radcliffe, lA, whom she married in the college chapel on August 29, 1940. The couple moved to St. Paul, MN, where Irwin studied and graduated (1944) from Luther Theological Seminary.

Following seminary graduation, Irwin and Mildred moved with their two children (Solveig and David) to a 4-congregation parish in Centerville, SD, which they served for five years. Two sons (Paul and Mark) and a daughter (Doris died shortly after birth) were born during this time.

In 1949 the family moved to Kiester, MN, where they served Immanuel and rural Zion Lutheran Churches for the next four years. During this pastorate their last child (John) was born, a new church building was built, and Irwin and Mildred were privileged to attend the 1952 Lutheran World Federation Assembly in Hanover, Germany, and visit relatives in Norway.

In 1953 the Hyland family moved to Peterson, MN, where Irwin and Mildred served a 2-point parish. After a 2-year pastorate, Irwin was awarded a scholarship for post-graduate studies at Biblical Seminary in New York City. Mildred and the 5 children moved to Sioux Falls, SD, during her husband’s 9-month study leave, to be near their daughter who was enrolled at a nearby Lutheran high school. Mildred was employed by Sioux Valley Hospital in Medical Records.

In the spring of 1956, they accepted a call to Rock Creek Lutheran of rural Osage, IA, where they served until Irwin’s untimely death at age 45 in 1959.

Following her husband’s death, Mildred moved the family to Forest City, IA. Mildred was employed as parish secretary at Immanuel Lutheran until 1962 when she became Bookstore Manager at Waldorf College. She continued in that position until 1974 when she married Hugh Drentlaw and moved to Northfield, MN. During her early retirement years, she had part-time employment at the Northfield News and at Swenson Realty. Mildred and Hugh enjoyed more than 25 years of marriage on their acreage south of Northfield until his death at age 99 years, 5 months, in February, 2000.

Through food preservation, baking and selling at the farmers’ market days, Mildred made good use of bountiful garden/orchard/arbor produce tended to and harvested by Hugh. Her children remember her delicious cinnamon rolls and donuts. Friends lauded her for Norwegian rommegrot and lemon meringue pie!

Mildred was very active and held leadership positions with Women of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway Nordmarka lag, the local chapter of Lutheran Brotherhood, and Northfield Retirement Community Auxiliary. She also provided rides to medical appointments in the Twin Cities for RSVP until she was 80 years old. Though she never realized her goal to take each of her 11 grandchildren to Norway, Mildred did manage to take the eldest four to re-trace the ancestral heritage.

Mildred lived at Northfield Retirement Community since March, 2000, residing at Parkview West (independent living), Parkview East (assisted living), and most recently in the Cardinal and Bluebird Neighborhoods (care center).

Mildred is survived by 5 children: Solveig (George) Carlson of Stoughton, WI; David (Sandy) Hyland of Moorhead, MN; Paul (Clarice) Hyland of Woodbury, MN; Mark (Karen) Hyland of Fridley, MN; John Hyland of Juneau, Alaska; 11 grandchildren, 21 great- grandchildren; a sister, Ilamae Lund, of St. Albans, Vermont; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Mildred was preceded in death by her husbands, Irwin and Hugh; her infant daughter, Doris; her brothers, Lloyd and Sievert Vinje; and a sister, Valborg Emmons.

Mildred’s life and God’s promises will be celebrated Monday, November 25, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at the chapel of the Northfield Retirement Community with Rev. Kristine Braaten-Lee officiating. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. prior to worship. Interment will be at Rock Creek Lutheran Cemetery near Osage, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorials to Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation or Northfield Retirement Community or St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

Arrangements were made with the assistance of the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home (www.northfieldfuneral.com).

 
Sylvia A. Evans, 93, Northwood, died Friday, November 22, 2013, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo.

A funeral service for Sylvia will be held 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, November 26, 2013, at the First Lutheran Church, 309 North 9th Street, Northwood, with Pastor Judy Converse officiating. Burial will be in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery, rural Joice. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time on Tuesday at the church.

The family would like to suggest that those wishing to give a memorial in her memory may wish to consider memorials to First Lutheran Church or to the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery.

Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood, is in charge of the arrangements.

Sylvia Adene (Brunsvold) Evans, was born on April 23, 1920, in Hanlontown, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence and Mandeline (Hoel) Brunsvold. Sylvia was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of her baptism through confirmation at the Concordia Lutheran Church, rural Joice. She received her education in the Kensett Community School, graduating from Kensett High School. Sylvia also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. After completing her schooling, she taught for 29 and one-half years before her retirement in English and Music, Nemaha, Parkersburg, Waterloo, Northwood, and Forest City, and was the principle in Fertile.

She was united in marriage to James Emerson Evans on September 19, 1948, at the Concordia Lutheran Church rural Joice. He preceded her in death on January 25, 2008.

Sylvia enjoyed reading, crocheting, embroidering, sewing, gardening, playing the piano, and enjoyed attending concerts at N.I.A.C.C. in Mason City.

Sylvia was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Northwood, Sunday school teacher, Alter Guild, a church circle, Mercy Hospital auxiliary and worked at the West Campus at the admitting desk.

Those left to cherish her memory are her nephews and nieces, Brian (Valerie) Ott of Cedar Falls, Steven Ott of Waterloo, Jeff (Holly) Ott of Peoria, Ill, Greg (Susan) Ott of Sun River, OR, David Ott of London, England, Russell (Jane) Evans of Louisville, CO, Mark (Michele) Evans of Faribault, MN, and Douglas (Betty) Evans of Zimmerman, MN; many great nieces and nephews; sister-in-law, Ione Evans of Faribault, MN; brother-in-law, Dale Ott of Waterloo; as well as other extended family members and friends.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents; husband James Emerson Evans; and a sister, Inez Ott.

Conner Colonial Chapel:

December 7, 1939 - November 27, 2013

Chanthy Sichanthongthip, 73, of Forest City died Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Saturday, November 30th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Rev. Rod Hopp officiating. Her body will be cremated following the service. Inurnment will be in Oakland Cemetery in Forest City.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Friday at the Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark St., in Forest City and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Chanthy Sichanthongthip, the daughter of Thong and Pong Savath, was born December 7, 1939 in Luangprabang, Laos. She attended school in Laos. In 1958, she was married to Kham Sichanthongthip. They lived in Laos until 1986 when her husband, Kham and oldest son moved to the United States settling in Forest City. Chanthy and some of her children followed in 1988. She enjoyed cooking, fishing and especially helping raise her grandchildren. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City.

Chanthy is survived by her husband, Kham, of Forest City; children, Phouthone (Touen) Sichanthongthip of Forest City, Singthong (Bouenekong) Sichanthongthip of Forest City, Sone (Nom) Sichanthongthip of Forest City, Kongngeun (Sengpheth) Ngeuen Sanasinh of Forest City and Bouaphan Sichanthongthip of Forest City; grandchildren, Anna, Ronald, Anna, Brandon, Tyler, Johnathan, Juliann, Emily, Jasmine, Adrian and Alita; eleven grandchildren in Laos; three great-grandchildren; and three sisters and a brother in Laos.

She was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother.

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DONALD MERLE NAUMANN
December 31, 1936 - November 1, 2013

Mr. DONALD MERLE NAUMANN, age 76, of Buffalo Center, died Friday, November 1, 2013, at his home.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2013, at 11:00 AM, at Elmore United Methodist Church in Elmore, with Rev. Arthur Keith officiating. Visitation time will be from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM Friday, November 8, 2013 at the Church, 311 East Mondale Street in Elmore, and 1 hour before the service at the church. Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com.

He was born December 31, 1936, at Elmore, the son of Ira & Myrtle (Krosch) Naumann. He graduated from Elmore High School where he excelled in football. He attended college in Mankato where he wrestled and played football. After college he enlisted in the United States Army where he was in the 187th Airborne Infantry Division and became a paratrooper. His love for football followed him to play on the championship team for Fort Campbell, KY.

He married his high school sweetheart Connie Pugsley on May 10, 1958. Three children were born from this union Sheree, Shelley, and Shannan. Donald learned to love the land from his father and took up the family tradition of farming with his wife Connie for 55 years. He also was a talented building contractor and a caretaker of the Min-Iowa Golf Course for many years. Donald was an avid down hill skier and spent over 20 years as a trainer and testing director for the National Ski Patrol.

He was confirmed in Shiloh Lutheran Church and was a longtime member of Elmore United Methodist Church. He loved spending time with his grandchildren, traveling, playing pool & cards, talking sports, hunting, and fishing. He spent many seasons with close friends on hunting trips out west or ice fishing up north.

He is survived by his spouse, Connie Naumann of Buffalo Center, his daughter, Sheree (Bill) Hoover of Duncombe, IA, his daughter, Shelley (Greg) Coupanger of Lakeville, MN, his daughter, Shannan (Steve) Musel of Frost, MN, his grandchildren, Sarah (Kyle) Kuhn, Tiffany (Todd) Bingham, Chase Coupanger, Channing (Joe) Kill, Cody Musel, Shania Musel, Joshua Musel, 8.6 great-grand children, his sister, JoAnn Schaumburg of Hackensack, MN, sister-in-law, Bonnie (Naumann) Anderson of Elmore, brother-in-law, Thomas (Terri) Pugsley of Bloomington, Indiana, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Edwin and Derald.

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Posted on 1 January 2014 by Jay Lehmann

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