Otis Emil Jorstad 1890-1945

JORSTAD, KNUTSEN, CLAUSON, OWENS, REFSELL, GUNDERSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/30/2013 at 00:23:52

Otis E. Jorstad
Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 24, from the Jorstad home and the Wallingford Lutheran church, with the Rev. L.G. Hinderaker officiating. Glenn Groth, theological student at a seminary in St. Paul sang both at the home and at the church, accompanied by Mrs. Sherman Gunderson, C.L. Torreson,Norman Mickelson, H.M. Bradshaw, H.H. Natterstad, K.J. McDonald and Sylvester Berge served as pall bearers. Merle Young, Albert Christopher, Leo Sogge, Albert Heidecker, Mark Logan, Willard Crim, Ray Ross and Max Soeth acted as honorary pall bearers.

Otis Emil Jorstad, resident of Wallingford for 33 years, died Tuesday afternoon, March 20, at the Immanuel Lutheran hospital, Omaha, Neb. Mr. Jorstad had been ill since Dec. 10, 1943, when he sustained severe injuries in an automobile accident.

Otis Jorstad, son of Berndt O. and Isabel Osher Jorstad, was born Feb. 26, 1890, at Pleasant Valley, Wis. Eldest of nine children, his early youth was spent on the home farm, and he received his education in that community. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in the Rush River church near Pleasant Valley.

He came to Wallingford in 1912 and spent the next few years in contracting work, building culverts and silos. May 3, 1918, Mr. Jorstad was inducted into the service of World War I and after six weeks of basic training, he went overseas. He served in Company E, 6th Motor Supply Train, in France, and was mustered out July 4, 1919.

On Nov. 18, 1919, Mr. Jorstad was united in marriage with Miss Rose Knutsen of Minneapolis. They came to Wallingford March 29, 1920, and have resided here since. Oct. 4, 1922, Mr. Jorstad purchased the hardware store from. L.E. Crim. The business expanded into several buildings, including farm machinery, repairs, and the shop work in addition to the hardware stock. In 1943 Mr. Jorstad established a branch dealership in Ceylon, Minn.

He was a member of the Norris Kasa Legion post.

He is survived by his widow, daughter Ruth, his mother, Mrs. B.O. Jorstad and brother, Bert Jorstad; and seven sisters, Mrs. Axel Clauson, Mrs. Fred Owens, Mrs. Ole Refsell, Mrs. George Gunderson, and the Misses Mabel, Nina and Helen Jorstad. He was a member of the Wallingford Lutheran church, and his last weeks were enriched by fellowship and visits with the Rev. R.A. Wangberg of Our Savior’s Lutheran church in Omaha.

Members of the American Legion assisted in the service of this military funeral. Interment was made in the Riverside cemetery just east of Wallingford. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, March 28, 1945)