Mrs. Mervin (Lillian Helenor Loftsgard) Reierson 1917-2006

AMUNDSON, LOFTSGARD, REIERSON, ANDERSON, KOEPKA, WESTEMEIER

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 12/29/2007 at 15:17:59

Lillian Reierson

Lillian Reierson, 89, of Clermont, died Sept. 16 at Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union. Services were Sept. 20 at the Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder with Rev. Marshall E. Hahn officiating. Burial was in the Marion Lutheran Cemetery.

Lillian Helenor (Loftsgard) Reierson was born April 17, 1917, to Theordore L. and Emma (Amundson) Loftsgard in Marion Township, near Elgin. She attended graduated from Postville High School in 1936 and later received her teaching certificate. Lillian then took a job as a nanny in Chicago, later returning to Marion Township to teach.

She married Mervin Reierson June 4, 1943 in the Marion Lutheran Church, where she was a lifetime member. Lillian sang in the church choir for 65 years, taught Sunday School for 40 years, and also taught Bible School for many years. She was an officer in the Marion Mission Society, the Dorcas Society of the Marion WELCA and also in the Decorah Conference WELCA. She was a 4-H leader and served on the Clayton County 4-H committee.

Lillian and Mervin moved from their farm to Clermont in 1980. She loved to sew and made many quilts for world relief. Lillian also made crafts and scrapbooks with pictures of family, friends, and the trips they made. In 1983 Mervin and Lillian enjoyed a trip to Norway with the Luren Singers of Decorah.

Lillian is survived by two foster daughters, Rose Luckeroth Good Koepka (Arthur) of Crookston, Minn. and Ruth Stickley Westemeier (Rod) of Independence; six foster grandchildren; her sister, Edna (Kenneth) Anderson, Postville; brother-in-law Joe (Helen) Reierson of Elgin; a sister-in-law, Florence (Lloyd) Reierson, Postville, and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Mervin; a brother, Marion Loftsgard; two brothers-in-law, Kenneth Anderson and Lloyd Reierson; and a foster granddaughter, Sabrina Westemeier.

Elgin, Iowa newspaper, September 20, 2006