Alma L. Fossum 1886-1944

FOSSUM, PETERSON, NATAL, LYGRE, STORMO, ANDERSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/14/2013 at 20:53:56

Miss Fossum Is Called
Passes After a Short But Extremely Interesting Life; Funeral Today
Funeral services were held this afternoon at the Wallingford Lutheran church for Miss Alma Fossum of Chicago, sister of Arthur Fossum and Mrs. Emma Paterson, Estherville. Miss Fossum, a native of this community passed away Monday at the Coleman hospital where she had come for care during her last illness.

In charge of the services are Rev. L.A. Mathre of the Estherville Lutheran church and Rev. L. G. Hinderaker pastor of the Wallingford church. Interment will be made at the Riverside cemetery.

Serving as pall bearers are Oscar Peterson, Jamie Kasa, Jacob Jacobson, Clarence Skattebo, Nels Osher and Albert Wolden, old time friends and neighbors.

Miss Alma Fossum was born to Kristian and Anne Fossum August 2, 1892 at Wallingford, Iowa. She received her early education in the public school and was confirmed in her Lutheran faith in 1906 by Pastor S. Strand. 1913 and 1914 she attended St. Olaf college, Northfield, Minn. In the fall of 1914 she took up nursing graduating in 1917. She received her training at St. James Sanitarium and at the City and County hospitals at St. Paul, Minn. She was a Red Cross nurse at Ft. Snelling for a year during World War I. In the fall of 1919 she joined her brother Rev. L.O. Fossum, missionary in the Kurdistan, and together with him and Hannah C. Schonhood left New York for the Near East Nov. 19. They came as far as Erviah Armenia, and being prevented from going further, they entered the service of the Near East Relief.

Rev. Fossom died Oct. 10, 1920 following a nervous breakdown brought on while serving as district commander of the Near East Relief. Miss Fossum continued with the other missionaries at Soujbulak. During a raid on that city and missionary compound by Kurdish Tribesman, Missionary George H. Bachimont and 500 Persian soldiers were slain. Miss Fossum and her two co-workers were mistreated but their lives were spared. After four years in the near East Miss Fossum returned to the United States. She entered the University of Minnesota to complete her education. Later she worked at hospitals at Rochester for a few years and then went to Cleveland, Ohio for post graduate work. She has been working at hospitals in Chicago in these later years.

About two years ago while working at Evangelical Hospital, her health failed and she submitted to an operation. She regained her strength and took up her former work as an anesthetist at the University hospital for a year. On August 4th last year a second operation was performed. A month later she returned to work but soon had to submit to a third operation at the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital. She remained there until she was strong enough to be removed to the Coleman hospital in Estherville, Jan. 14. Here with her sister and brother ad childhood friends near she calmly and in the midst of much pain awaited her departure. She was a patient sufferer and was confidently trusting in her Savior into who she fell asleep Monday, Feb. 21 at 4 o’clock.

She leaves a sister Mrs. Emma Peterson and two brothers, Arthur Fossum of Estherville and Alfred Fossum of LaCenter, Wash. And nieces Mrs. Rev. J.N. Otte Entumeni Natal of South Africa and Mrs. Rev. C.G. Lygre, Omaha, Neb., daughters of Missionary L.O. Fossum and Mrs. Rev. Carl Stormo of Minneapolis and Mrs. Mildred Anderson of Houston, Texas. Also a nephew Lt. Edward Fossum with the marines in the South Pacific. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 24, 1944) )Also in Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, February 25, 1944)