Bertha Olson Valen 1912-1997

VALEN, OLSON, OVSTHUS, STROUP, ANDERSON, IVERSON, RUDD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/14/2014 at 01:18:54

Bertha Valen
Estherville – Services for Bertha Valen, 85, of Estherville will be held Wednesday, Dec. 24, 1997 at 10:30 a.m. at the Estherville Lutheran Church in Estherville with the Revs. Arlyn Norris and Jane Johnston officiating. Interment will be at the Estherville Lutheran Cemetery.

She died Dec. 22 at Holy Family Health Center in Estherville.

Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 at the Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville.

She was born May 31, 1912, in Graettinger, he daughter of Ole and Synneva (Ovsthus) Olson. She graduated from Graettinger High School in 1930. She then attended Estherville Jr. College and taught in the rural Lost Island Township School. She attended Iowa State College in Ames and Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis.

She was united in marriage to Henry Valen on Dec. 29, 1940 at the First Lutheran Church of Graettinger. She returned to teaching at Emmet Consolidated School in rural Estherville and attended summer classes at Mankato State. She completed her education at Iowa Lakes Community College and taught in the Armstrong Community School District for 10 years until retirement.

She was an active member of Estherville Lutheran Church, ELCW, Hannah Circle, presently serving on the Evangelism Board, sang in the church choir and led and attended Bible studies. She was a member of the Sons of Norway and supported the Estherville Community Christian School.

She is survived by four daughters: Miriam (Mim) Valen of Bloomington, Minn.; Ruth Stroup of Phoenix, Ariz.; Linda Valen of Kansas City, Mo.; and Mrs. Dennis (Lois) Anderson of Omaha, Neb.; two sons: Paul Valen of College Station, Tex.; and Mark Valen of Estherville; 10 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and a sister Ann Iverson of Estherville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, three brothers: Fred Rudd, Leonard Rudd and Clarence Olson and a sister, Ingeborg Olson. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, December 23, 1997)