Natvig, Dennis Odell 1937 - 2023

NATVIG, ELLINGSON, TWEIT, DOERR, YANKEY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20

COTTAGE GROVE - Dennis Odell Natvig, age 85, of Cottage Grove, Wis., died with certainty in his eternal life on Monday, April 3, 2023.
A memorial service will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Madison, Wis., at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, 2023, with the Rev. Mark Bartels officiating.
A second memorial service will be held at Saude Lutheran Church in Lawler at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 15, 2023, with the Rev. Bernt Tweit officiating, and will be preceded by a visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to Saude Cemetery Fund.
Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh .com.
Dennis was born on June 4, 1937, in Chester, Iowa, the first of three sons born to Odell and Arlene (Ellingson) Natvig. He was baptized and confirmed at Saude Lutheran Church in rural Lawler, Iowa, and graduated from Saude Lutheran School, Cresco High School, Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minn. and University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
While at Bethany, Dennis met the love of his life, Naomi Tweit. They were married on Aug. 29, 1959, at Saude Lutheran Church and blessed with three sons.
Dennis was honored to serve his country in the U.S. Army during the Berlin Crisis in 1961 and afterward he and Naomi lived in Cedar Falls. In 1964, they moved to Mankato when Dennis accepted a position as Business Manager at Bethany Lutheran College.
For the next 31 years, he and Naomi enjoyed wonderful times with dear friends, co-workers and fellow members of civic organizations and Mount Olive Lutheran Church.
In 1995, the couple retired and permanently moved to Pine River, Minn. and their beloved Hay Lake, where they had spent priceless times with family since the 1960s. They joined Christ Lutheran Church in Baxter and made many new friends.
In 2011, they moved to Cottage Grove, to be closer to family. They enlarged their circle of friends yet again, this time at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Madison and Glenwood Senior Living in Cottage Grove.
Dennis was a kind-hearted, funny, patient man, who was devoted to his Lord and Savior, his wife and his children. When Naomi was battling cancer, he unselfishly cared for her for more than five years until her passing in 2012.
He was very proud of his Norwegian heritage, regularly saying the Norwegian Table Prayer before meals and eagerly anticipating the arrival of lutefisk and lefse at Christmas.
Dennis is survived by three sons, Craig (Sheila) Natvig of Stevenson, Wash., Jon (Cindy) Natvig of Cottage Grove and Scott (Carla) Natvig of Los Angeles, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Evan, Clay (Shayna), Andrew, Aaron and Cody Natvig, Emily (Tyson) Mirka and Blayne Saucier; two step-grandchildren, John (Katie) and Brad (Liz) Doerr; one great-grandson, Archer Natvig; two brothers, Allan (Deb Yankey) Natvig of Cedar Falls and Roland (Mary) Natvig of Deer River, Minn.; and many dear nieces and nephews and sisters- and brothers-in-law.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister-in-law, Susan Natvig; and his wife, Naomi.

Source: Cresco Times April 7, 2023