Rosella Johanna Larson Mork 1905-2009
THRONSON, LARSON, MORK, WENGER, ELLEFSON, STUCKY, REESE
Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 1/1/2010 at 18:19:13
Rosella Johanna Larson Mork passed away at the Good Samaritan Home in West Union on December 11, 2009 at the age of 104. She was born August 12, 1905 in Highland Township, Clayton County, Iowa, the only daughter of Henry Reier and Ida Nora (Thronson) Larson. She was baptized and confirmed at the Highland Lutheran Church.
Rosella lived in Highland Township until 1912 when her family "homesteaded" at Makoti, North Dakota near the Berthold Indian Reservation. After proving their claim the family returned to Iowa and a year later moved to Albion, Dane County, Wisconsin where Rosella and her brothers attended Albion Grade School and the East Koshkonong Lutheran Church.
In about 1918 Rosella's family returned to Clayton County, Iowa to a farm in Boardman Township. Rosella graduated from Elkader High School in 1924 with a teaching certificate from the Normal Training Program. She was a Clayton County school teacher for five years; two years at Highland #3 on Highway 56 and three years at Marion #2, the "Brorby School" near Gunder.
On May 4, 1929 Rosella was united in marriage to Henry Engel Mork, son of Knudt and Betsy (Olson) Mork, at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Galena, Illinois. For more than 20 years Henry and Rosella owned and operated a farm four miles east of Elgin where their five children were born. The family was active in the Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder. In 1947 the Mork family purchased and moved to a farm near Decorah where they were active in the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, Decorah High School and Luther College. Rosella and Henry retired from farming in 1972 and moved to Elgin where they were members of the Elgin Lutheran Church. Henry died in Elgin on July 27, 1981. Rosella became a resident of the West Union Good Samaritan Home in October, 2000.
As an active and involved mother and grandmother Rosella always had a deep and abiding interest in her family's development, education and welfare. Rosella and Henry leave their children and grandchildren with a legacy of rich experiences that promote the value of education and personal integrity; the benefits of community and church involvement; the satisfaction of work well done; the joys of sports and hobbies; the appreciation of nature, music and reading; and of course, the love of good friends and family.
Rosella is survived by her five children, Avis (Russell) Wenger of Elgin, Iowa, Dorlan (Phyllis) Mork of Charlotte, North Carolina, Randeen Ellefson of Waverly, Iowa, Kaaren (Galen) Stucky of Santa Barbara, California, and Lea Rae (Jerry) Reese of Hopkins, Minnesota. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, one great-great granddaughter, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Henry, her parents, and her brothers Thomas, Sidney, Maurice, Richard G., Henry, Richard D. and Lawrence.
The family requests that memorials be sent to the West Union Good Samaritan Home or the Elgin Lutheran Church.
Funeral Service will be held on Monday, December 14, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. at the Elgin Lutheran Church, Elgin, Iowa. The Rev. Jerome Godson will officiate. Burial will follow in the Elgin Cemetery, Elgin, Iowa.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2009, from 3 - 5 p.m. at the Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Elgin, Iowa, and one hour before services at the church on Monday.
Funeral brochure. Contributor is not related and has no further information.
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