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Emma J. Goeson, 102
Died: Friday, June 24, 2005, in Eventide Lutheran Home.
Emma J. Goeson, 102, of Moorhead, died Friday, June 24, 2005, in Eventide Lutheran Home, Moorhead, MN.
Emma Josephine Goeson was born on November 9, 1902, on a farm near Rock Dell, MN, the fifth child of Adolph R. and Anna Maris Jacobson.
In 1905, Emma's father moved his family to Hettinger County, ND, to prove upon a claim.
The family lived in a sod house to start with.
Emma didn't remember living there, but did remember playing in the ruins after they had moved to a better house.
Mostly, what Emma remembered about North Dakota was running barefoot over the prairie, chasing rabbits and snaring gophers.
She didn't speak English until she started country school.
Four more children were born in North Dakota.
The first one died of pneumonia at 10 months of age, and is buried on the prairie beside the house.
Emma remembered watching her father make a coffin for him.
In 1910, the Jacobson family stood out in their farm yard and watched Halley's Comet for three nights.
It was an unforgettable sight, a huge red fireball in the western horizon, and the tail stretched across the sky eastward as far as the eye could see.
In 1914, Emma's mother died of typhoid fever.
After that, Emma's father moved his family back to Rochester, MN.
There were nine children by then, and they were all separated.
Those old enough, had to find work, and the smaller ones were placed with relatives.
They never got together as a family again, but visited as individuals.
Emma's older sister got a job as a maid in a wealthy home, and Emma was taken on to care for that family's six year old son.
Her sister got married
in about a year, but Emma stayed with that family until she graduated from high school.
Then, she got a job at the Mayo Clinic, in their metabolism laboratory, where she worked for two years.
At that time, she was sent to St. Mary's Hospital for about six months to run their lab.
In 1923, her elder brother came from Fargo, ND, with his family, to visit; and she decided to go back to Fargo with them.
She attended Dakota Business College, and was soon sent out to work in Dr. Humphry's clinic on Center Avenue.
From there, she worked for an automotive parts company, a seed company, and an insurance company.
Emma married
John L. Goeson, in 1932.
They made their home in Moorhead, MN, because he had his office there.
John died on May 16, 1969.
Emma, and a friend, organized the first African Violet Club, in Fargo-Moorhead.
They met monthly in their various homes.
It was called the Red River African Violet Club.
They had public shows, and also arranged displays for the Fargo-Moorhead Flower Show, when asked.
Emma is survived by a son, Graham Goeson (Madrene); four grandchildren, Carrie (Marty) Sittig, Bart (Lori) Goeson, Monica (Brad) Kruger, and Jon (Renetta) Goeson; and two great-grandchildren, Kelsey Goeson, and Brady Goeson.
Violet Olson, 84
Died: Monday, April 10, 2006, in Viking Manor Nursing Home, Ulen, MN.
Violet was born March 15, 1922, in Hamden Township, Becker County, Minnesota, to Arthur and Helma (Langness) Jellum.
She grew up and attended rural school in Hamden Township.
Violet was married
to Orville Olson on December 5, 1945 at Lake Park, Minnesota.
Following their marriage they farmed south of Hawley in Eglon Township.
They later moved to Hawley, Minnesota in 1972.
Violet worked at the turkey plant in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota for two years.
She later worked at Carl's Lefse Factory in Lake Park and Hawley, and also worked at the Hawley Bakery.
She also was a cook at CJ's Café, Lee's Drive Inn and Wahl Drug in Hawley.
Violet was a member of Hegland Lutheran Church.
Orville died February 5, 1988.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Orville; a son, Gerald Olson; two brothers Elvard Jellum and a twin brother, Charles Jellum.
Violet is survived by one son, Ronnie (Mary) Olson, Hawley, MN; two grandsons, Mike Olson, Frazee, MN, and Travis (fiancée, Rachel) Olson, and their daughter, Ella, Omaha, NE; one granddaughter, Melissa Olson, Hawley, MN.
Avis M. Wollitz, 81
Died: Wednesday, November 30, 2005, in Eventide Lutheran Home, Moorhead, MN.
Avis M. Wollitz, 81, Eventide Lutheran Home, Moorhead, MN, died on Wednesday, November 30, 2005, in the nursing home.
Avis M. Braun was born on June 23, 2005, in Belmond, IA, where she grew up and graduated from high school.
She attended business college in Mason City, Iowa. She went to work for Shell Oil, in Mason City and then Minneapolis, MN.
Avis married
Leonard E. Wollitz on September 11, 1948 in Belmond, IA and they made their home in Minneapolis.
They moved to Austin, MN, and then to Denver, CO, where they lived for 44 years, moving to Moorhead, MN, on February 14, 2002.
Avis is survived by two sons, Lenny (Diana), Bemidji, MN, and Curtis (Susan), Amesbury, MA; three grandchildren.
Vernon L. Mattson, 74
Died: Sunday, November 06, 2005, in his home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Vernon Lloyd Mattson, 74, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, November 6, 2005, at home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.
He had fought a courageous battle with cancer for 18 years.
He was born January 27, 1931, to Mathias and Lena (Ellingson) Mattson at the family farm near Lake Park, Minnesota.
He attended country school and then farmed with his brother Martin.
He married
Doris (Anderson) on October 22, 1950, in Hitterdal, Minnesota.
They continued to live and work on the family farm.
They had five children, and their three sons all joined in the farming operation.
He took great pride in working with his sons and seeing the farm grow through the years.
He served on the church board for several years.
Family was most important to him.
He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Vernon was a kind and giving person and had a great sense of humor. He was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by his whole family.
He is survived by Doris, his wife of 55 years; two daughters, Betty (Richard) Mattfeld, Underwood, MN, Debbie (Dwight) Hanson, Audubon, MN; three sons, Robert (Julie) Mattson, Richard (Lisa) Mattson and Roger (Laurie) Mattson, all of Lake Park, MN; 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren; one brother, Leonard (Della) Mattson, Seattle, WA; two sisters, Opal (Arvin) Forness, Moorhead, MN, and Ruth (Bill) Iverson, Pueblo, CO; several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, six sisters and three brothers.
Reinhold E. "Reinie" Utke, 89
Died: Thursday, July 14, 2005, in Bethany Homes, Fargo, ND.
Reinhold (Reinie) Emil Robert Utke passed away at the age of 89, on Thursday, July 14, 2005, following a month long struggle with serious injuries suffered from a fall.
Reinie, the son of Wilhelm and Wilhemina Utke was born April 23, 1916 in rural Enderlin, ND, the middle child of what would eventually become a family of eleven. He was baptized and confirmed in Leonard Lutheran Church.
On July 18, 1940, Ruth Hannaford of Glyndon, MN and Reinie were united in marriage at First Congregational Church, Moorhead, MN.
From their union, two daughters were born, Marilyn DeWitt of St. Louis, MO and Sharon Carlos of Fountain, CO.
Ruth passed away on March 14, 1991.
On June 19, 1992 Reinie was united in marriage to Crystal Tollefson at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN.
Each anniversary, with the exception of the last, was observed at Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield, WI.
Reinie was blessed with a variety of talents and abilities.
One of them was determination in the difficult depression years to better himself by seeking an education.
By working various jobs he graduated from Enderlin High School in 1935 and Moorhead State College in 1939.
In his last two years of high school, he won 1st place as male vocalist in state competition and later was active in college musical events as well.
In 1978, he was awarded Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater.
He received a Masters Degree from NDSU in 1953 and continued post graduate work at Stanford University, CA and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
He taught high school in Ulen and Ellendale, MN and managed a store in Enderlin before moving to Moorhead in 1953, where he became a high school guidance counselor.
He created a summer counseling program for incoming 10th grade students to assist them in the process of adjusting to high school.
He could always see the potential in each student.
In 1958 he began a 20 year position as principal at Moorhead Junior High School and was respected by his staff and Moorhead community for his care and concern for each student.
Under his direction yearly school projects involving students and staff to raise money for the needy was accomplished.
Some of these drives included a Peace Corps school in India, Biafra relief, Christmas baskets to nursing homes, Operation Bootstrap, Viking Ship and others.
Reinie gave of his talents in many capacities in church and community.
He held membership in several state and national professional organizations, directed male choruses and church choirs and served on a variety of boards and councils including a 50 year membership in Kiwanis Service Club.
He was co-founder of Moorhead Education Foundation which continues to provide scholarships for Moorhead High graduates.
With keen interest in the Apollo Strings, he organized and managed several group trips to various European countries.
Reinie led a remarkable, productive life and will be remembered as a valued, contributing citizen in his career and community, with his diverse, numerous talents, but also as a man with a spirit of warm compassion, patience, generosity, creativity, wit and a source of devotion and strength to wife and family.
Blessed be his memory.
Grateful to have shared in his life are his wife, Crystal; two daughters, Marilyn DeWitt, St. Louis, MO, and Sharon Carlos, Fountain, CO; four grandchildren, Drew (Kelly) DeWitt, Minneapolis, MN, Paige DeWitt, St. Louis, MO, Ann Marie and Anthony Carlos of Fountain, CO; two great granddaughters, Jillian DeWitt and Kalia Carlos, four stepchildren, Blair Tollefson, Boston, MA, Jon Tollefson, Fargo, ND, Jill (Steven) Swantz, Burnsville, MN, James Tollefson, Detroit Lakes, MN; two step grandchildren, Samuel and Emily Swantz; two sisters, Louise Koslofsky, Barron, WI, Myrtle Koslofsky, Wheatland, IA; one brother, Bill (Helen) Utke, Sioux Falls, SD; one brother-in-law, Lyle (Kathy) Severson, Pelican Rapids, MN; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife, Ruth, he was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Albert, Lawrence, Marvin and Elroy; three sisters, Palma O'Donnell, Martha Buttke and Luella Hackett.
The Utke family expresses its sincere gratitude for the outpouring acts of kindness and generosity extended during this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorials should be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, First Congregational Church of Christ, Kiwanis Club, Bethany Homes or to a charity of the donors choice.
