TORGERSON, Kari Lena 1870-1960

TORGERSON, RUST, ASHER

Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 10/19/2012 at 19:36:43

Funeral services for Kari Lena Torgerson, 90, a longtime resident of this community, who died July 12, 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri after being bedfast for three years, were held July 14 at the First Lutheran church with the Rev. Don R. Hamilton officiating.

Kari Lena Torgerson, daughter of Nils and Guro (Rust) Torgerson, was born January 18, 1879 on a farm near Stewartville, Minnesota in Olmstead County. She was baptized by the Rev. J.A. Thorson, and confirmed by the Rev. Johan Olsen at the First Lutheran church here.

Her father, Nils Horo Torgerson, came from Norway at the age of 17 and drove the stage coach from Rochester to Red Wing. In Rochester he met and married Guro Hanson Rust of St. Ansgar, and settled down to farming. His wife's failing health and homesickness for her family caused him to move to the St. Ansgar community on the advice of their doctor, Dr. Mayo the father of the founders of the Mayo Clinic. He bought the farm now known as the Nitardy farm, later the Hans Rank farm (known as the Brandt place) where his family of three, Kari, Isabelle and Theodore, grew up.

Kari Lena Torgerson attended the Clyde school and after a year at the St. Ansgar Seminary. Her mother's early death threw the responsibility of the home upon her and she never married.

Upon her father's retirement they lived in Minneapolis for a number of years. Later, after his death, she returned to the St. Ansgar community, living on the farm now owned by the Wintertons. At the age of 72 with failing health she went to Kansas City to live with her niece, Mrs. Graham Asher where she died Tuesday afternoon, July 12.

Burial was in the First Lutheran Cemetery with Rev. Hamilton in charge of the committal services.

St. Ansgar Enterprise