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KANABEC COUNTY TIMES
www.moraminn.com
OCTOBER 1, 2015
OBITUARIES
Lillian Johnson
Evelyn V. Krominga
Kevin J. Ostman
Lillian Lindbergh Christie Johnson, a Mora resident since 1969, died Monday, Sept. 21, 2015 at Eastwood Senior Living. Born in 1917 to Eva Lindbergh Christie and George West Christie, she grew up in Red Lake Falls where sshe graduated from Lafaye ette High School. Her father o owned and edited the Red L Lake Falls Gazette. She followed in his footssteps, studying journalism a at the University of Minnessota, where she was the first w woman on the copy desk of tthe Minnesota Daily. After t taking her degree at the univ versity, she worked for three y years for the National Collegiate Press Association. In 1941, she was united in marriage to high school and journalism classmate, Edmund E. Johnson. When he was in the Army Air Corps during World War II, they spent time in Texas and California. After the war they settled in Fargo, N.D, where he was copy editor on the Fargo Forum. She concentrated on raising their two older daughters, Christie and Julie. Their third daughter, Leslie, was born soon after they relocated to the Twin Cities. The family lived in Edina from 1955-1969, where she worked for the Sun Newspaper Company as a copy editor. In 1969, she and her husband purchased the Kanabec County Times with her brother George Christie and his wife Peggy Schoon Christie. The two couples edited and published the newspaper for 11 years until they retired in 1980. During the 1980s, the couple was able to travel in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. They also found it rewarding to act as group leaders for the St. Mary’s chemical dependency program in Minneapolis. In addition, she found time to edit and write the “Kanabec History Center Quarterly.” The couple celebrated their 50th anniversary in June of 1991. Following her husband’s death later that year, she remained in her own home on Riverside Street. She continued to participate in the AAUW, the Page Turners Book Club and a weekly Scrabble group. A life-long Minnesotan, she was always proud of her family history. Interestingly, both of her parents’ childhood homes became public museums. Her maternal grandfather was Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh, father of the flyer. His home is now Charles A. Lindbergh State Park in Little Falls. Her paternal grandfather was George West Christie, MD, whose family home in Long Prairie is now the Christie House Museum, which showcases the practice of a country doctor. Her family would like to thank the staff of Eastwood Senior Living for the excellent and compassionate care they gave her in her final months. She made friends among the staff and fellow residents. Happily, she retained her interest in current events and in the people around her. She kept her sense of humor to the very end. She was proud of her long life and died peacefully. She is survived by daughters, Christie Johnson (Stephen) Coffin who is an architect in Berkeley, Calif., Julie West (Lance Rips) Johnson who is an English teacher and free-lance writer in Evanston, Ill. and Leslie Lindbergh (Gerard) Jones who is a retired oncology research coordinator who lives in Stillwater; adored grandchildren, Christopher “Kip” (Noelle) Jones is a professional musician with Ethel, a contemporary string quartet, Alexandra (Russel) Munson is an executive assistant at RSP Architects and Eve (boyfriend, John Marshall) Rips is a public interest attorney and director of the Chicago office of Young Invincibles; brother, George Christie of Mora and numerous nieces and nephews. She asked that memorials go to the Kanabec History Center or the Mora Public Library. A memorial service was held on Friday, Sept. 25 at Akkerman-Ingebrand Funeral Home in Mora. Inurnment at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Red Lake Falls. Arrangements were handled by Akkerman-Ingebrand Funeral Home of Mora. Condolences may be posted at www.aifuneralhome. com.
Evelyn “Evie” Viola Krominga of Mora died on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 at the St. Clare Living Community in Mora. She was 91 years old. She was born Nov. 6, 1923 in Woden, Iowa to Fredrick and Cornelia (Lutjens) Korte. She grew up in Woden a and Crystal Lake, Iowa; atttending Woden grade school a and Woden-Crystal Lake H High School. The family m moved to the family farm n north of Woden when she w was in middle school. She couldn’t speak Eng glish, only German in her e early years. A neighbor girl, J Jean, taught her English. T The two stayed in touch u until Jean’s death about 10 y years ago. After graduation she met her future husband, Raymond Krominga, while roller skating in Titonka, Iowa. They were united in marriage on Dec. 30, 1941 in Titonka, Iowa. At the same time Raymond was drafted and left for WWII. She lived with his parents, Riender and Helen Krominga, while he was serving in the military. Four years later, upon her husband’s return, they settled back in Titonka where he was an auto mechanic. They started their family in Titonka when their first child, Marsha, and later a second daughter, Paula were born. In 1951 they moved to Lakota, Iowa where they started a TV and radio repair business which later became an electrical contracting business. She worked for the business, was a busy homemaker and during this time they had their third child, Terry. The business thrived and a fourth child, Melanie, was added to the family. She worked many jobs through the years including being an Avon lady. In 1972 they moved to Mora to begin a new journey and lived together until her husband’s death in 1981. They were members of Calvary Lutheran Church in Mora. She is best known for working at Hall Drug in Mora and senior dining at the Dala House. She liked spending time with family and friends. She also loved to cook and dance. She had a great love for music, especially country western. She and her husband were avid bowlers in their earlier years. She was a beloved mother, wife, sister, grandmother and friend to many. She loved life, had a great sense of humor, and will be missed by all. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ray; younger brother, Cornelius; sister, Lilian Miller; brothers-in-law, Glen Miller and Lloyd Miller; sister in-law, Leola Miller; sons in-law, David Cushman and Tom Torborg; as well as Raymond’s parents. She is survived by children, Marsha (Larry) Patten of Graettinger, Iowa, Paula (Ross) Larson of Forest Lake, Terry (Kathy Skramstad) of LeSueur, Melanie (fiancé, Mike Crepeau) of Plymouth; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Fred Korte, Jr. and Jim Korte and their families; special sister in-law, Marilyn Korte; and the families of Glen and Leola Miller and Lloyd and Lillian Miller. Her funeral service was held on Friday, Sept. 25 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Mora with Rev. Dean Oelfke officiating. Music was provided by Elaine Keehr and Doyle Peck. Inurnment was at Oakwood Cemetery in Mora. Arrangements were handled by Akkerman-Ingebrand Funeral Home of Mora. Condolences may be posted at www.aifuneralhome. com.
Kevin James Ostman of Braham (Mora) died on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015 at the U of M Hospital in Minneapolis with his family by his side. He was 60 years old. He was born on Dec. 5, 1954 to Berneice Joyce (Meyer) and Ervin Ivan Ostman iin Minneapolis. He grew up in Blaine ((Ostman’s Fair Oaks) unttil fourth grade, then they m moved to Mora and he went tto the Warman School and g graduated from Mora Publlic School in 1972. He then m moved to the Cities where h he worked as a carpenter a and loading trucks for Coke. He met Diane Bowman while building homes in Ostman’s Fair Oaks. They were united in marriage on Nov. 3, 1973 in Blaine. They lived in the Cities for two years, when one day Kevin said “this ain’t no place for a country boy.” They moved to Mora and he started working at Northernwood Cabinet where he worked for 27 years before he started his own cabinet business. He was an outstanding craftsman. Most important to him was his family. He enjoyed many things, such as fishing, hunting, motorcycles, and especially watching his children growing up and he really loved his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by both of his parents. He is survived by wife, Diane; daughter, Allison Rose (Ostman) (Dan) Londgren of Braham; son, Zebulon Ervin (Anne) Ostman of Sauk Rapids; grandchildren, Carsyn, David and Brooke Londgren all of Braham; brother, Lon Ostman and nephews, Nick (Jade) Ostman and Mathew (Jeannean) Ostman. Funeral services will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. at Braham Evangelical Lutheran Church with visitation one hour before.
Wilbert R. Strelow Wilbert Reynold Strelow of Cambridge, formerly of Grasston, died on Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 at the GracePointe East Gables in Cambridge. He was 87 years old. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015 at the Stanchfield Baptist Church. A memorial visitation will be held from 5- 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Rock-Ingebrand Funeral Home in Braham and one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials to the Children’s Shelter of Cebu City, Philippines. Arrangements are by the Rock-Ingebrand Funeral Home: www.aifuneralhome.com.
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Cody A. Bergstad Cody Alan Bergstad died on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. He was 29 years old. He was born on April 5, 1986 in Mora to Julie Nelson and Alan Bergstad. He was raised and lived his entire life in Kanabec County. He was baptized and c confirmed at Grace Luthera an Church in Mora and he sstayed connected to his faith tthrough private phone conv versations with Rev. Dougllas Larson. He attended Mora schools, g graduating in 2004, and then w was sworn into the U.S. Marrine Corps in June of 2004. IIt was the proudest day of his life – he was about to emh bark on the journey he had always dreamed of. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with arthritis that fall and his dreams would never be fulfilled. He then lived for his family and friends, enjoying the simple things in life such as the outdoors, wood fires, animals and anything at the Bread ‘N Honey, especially the candles. He made the hardest decision anyone can make and took back the control his physical and mental pain had taken from him for years. He took his own life on the evening of Sept. 22. We are not angry or view this as a cowardly, selfish act, but rather as a terminal disease that has finally come to an end for our beloved, brave, courageous Cody. He was preceded in death by paternal grandfather, Wayne Bergstad; maternal grandparents, Robert and Irene Nelson; stepgrandparents, Corky and Jewell Nelson and uncle, Steve Nelson. He is survived by mother, Julie (Greg) Nelson; father, Alan (Elona) Bergstad and Alan’s stepson, Wesley; brother, Jesse (Anneliese) Nelson; sister, Lori (Larry) Olson; nieces and nephew, Grace, Jack and Brinley; grandmother, Norma Bergstad and numerous aunts, uncles and other relatives and friends. A memorial service was held on Monday, Sept. 28, 2015 at Grace Lutheran Church in Mora with Rev. Douglas Larson officiating. Music was provided by Betty Smith. Honorary pallbearers were Dan Larson and Allyn Kolodji. Burial at Brook Park Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements by Dresser-Methven Funeral Home.
SEE OBITUARIES PAGE 25
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