Ragnvald Oedvin 1889-1938

OEDVIN, RUGTIV, RUGTIVE, SKOGE, JOHNSON, DAHL, TERSTAD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 9/22/2012 at 14:08:47

Oedvin Obituary
Ragnvald Oedvin was born May 28, 1890 in Sandene, Norfjord, Norway, to Anders and Marie Oedvin. As a child he was baptized in the Vereide parish church where he also later was confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

At the age of 17 he emigrated to America, coming first to Madison, S.D., to an uncle, Tom Terstad. Being eager for an education he enrolled as a student at Augustana College then at Canton, S.D. Having completed the high school course at that institution he continued his studies at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., where he graduated with the class of 1916. He took up teaching first at Binford, S.D. Then a year at Chicago and then he was for several years superintendent of the schools at Bison, S.D. The year 1934-1935 he was superintendent at Gruver, Iowa. Since then he has spent most of his life on a fruit farm he had bought and developed near Joliet, Ill.

Two weeks ago his sister, Mrs. Noah Rugtiv received a call that he was very ill, but when she called the next morning she talked with him and he was much improved and said he hoped to come and visit here before long.

Last week while visiting friends in Gary, Ind., he became very ill again and death came Tuesday morning, Nov. 15 at 3:15 a.m.

He was preceded in death by his parents in Norway and his sister, Mrs. Lars Skoge and his half sister, Mrs. A.E. Johnson, both of Estherville and by a brother, Olaf Oedvin who died in Chicago in 1917 and was buried in Estherville. He leaves to mourn his early departure from this life his sister, Mrs. Noah Rugtiv of Estherville, his half sister, Mrs. George Dahl of Bryant, S.D., three brothers and one sister and one half brother in Norway and 23 nephews and nieces in this country.

Noah Rugtiv went to Gary and brought the remains back here for burial. Funeral services were held with military honors from the Rugtiv home Sataurday at 2:15 and at the Estherville Lutheran church at 2:30, Rev. L.A. Mathre officiating. Madga Center and Emma Sunde sang three sons at the church. Berna Center presided at the organ. The pall bearers were Lloyd Johnson, Sylvester Berge, Sten Tendol, Geo. Dohl and Orville and Arnold Skoge. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, November 24, 1938)

Mrs. Noah Rugtive mourns the loss of her brother, Raznvald Oedvin who passed away suddenly at Gary, Ind., last week. Mr. Oedvin is a former resident of this county having been superintendent of the Gruver school during the years 1934-35 ad he was brought to Estherville for burial.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at two-fifteen from the Rugtive home and at two-thirty from the Estherville Lutheran church, Rev. L.A. Mathre officiating. Interment was made in the East Side cemetery where a sister Mrs. Skoge, a half sister Mrs. A.E. Johnson, Estherville and a brother Olaf Oedvin, Chicago, are buried.

Left to mourn his passing are Mrs. Rugtive, a half sister, Mrs. Geo. Dahl. Bryant, S.D., three brothers, a sister and a half brother in Norway.

Mr. Oedvin was born May 28, 1890 in Sandene, Norfjord, Norway, son of Anders and Marie Oedvin. As a child he was baptized at the Vereide parish church and where he was later confirmed.

At the age of 17 years, he migrated to America coming first to Madison, S.D., to an uncle Tom Terstad. He enrolled at Augustana college at Canton, S.D., completing high school studies there and continued his studies at St. Olaf college, Northfield, Minn. He graduated from that institution with the class of 1916. He took up teaching at Binford, S.D., then a year at Chicago and for several years was superintendent at Bison, S.D., before coming to Gruver.

The last three years he had spent on a fruit farm near Joliet, Ill., which he had bought and developed. Two weeks ago Mrs. Rugtive received word that he was very ill but he recovered quickly and hoped to come here for a visit. The final illness was unexpected. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, November 22, 1938)

Note: the gravestone says 1889 DOB and 1936 DOD. It appears to have been placed later. WWI Draft records coincide with 1889 as the DOB.