Gjertru “Julia” (Johnson) Askelson (1861-1941)

JOHNSON, ASKELSON, FOLGER, FLETTRE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/19/2024 at 13:13:14

From Story City Herald May 8, 1941 (page 4)

MRS. OSCAR ASKELSON LAID TO REST

The funeral services for Mrs. Oscar Askelson were held Tuesday afternoon 1:30 at the K. F. Johnson home, and then at Grace church with Rev. L. L. Orth officiating. Burial was made in the South St. Petri cemetery. There were a number of beautiful floral tributes in affectionate memory of the deceased, and five dollars were contributed to missions by relatives and friends.

Her maiden name was Gjeertru Johnson Flettre. She was born at Flettre in Voss, Norway, May 3, 1861. She passed away May 2, 1941, a few hours before she would have been 80 years old.

She came to America with her parents, John F. Johnson and wife Anna, and landed in Nevada, Iowa, July 1st, 1866, and can be truly said to be a "daughter of the middle west.'

She entered the holy bonds of matrimony with Oscar Askelson Feb. 17, 1856 and to this union six children were born, four of whom died in their infancy. Two grew to manhood--Albert B. and Carl. Albert lives at Austin, Minn., and Carl has dutifully stayed with his aging parents.

The family lived in Minnesota from 1917 to 1924. All the other years of her life she lived in Iowa after she lived in Iowa after she came from Norway. For the last 16 years her home has been in Christytown, a few miles north of Story City, and a few miles from her folks' pioneer home.

Besides her husband and two sons she leaves to mourn her departure, a sister, Mrs. Betsey Folger of Marshalltown, who is 84 years old; three brothers, Knute Johnson of Story City, 76; John J. Flettre, 69, both of Hewitt, Minn. She also leaves two grandchildren, children of Albert; also many nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

Interment was made at South St. Petri cemetery in the Askelson lot. Pallbearers were old time friends and neighbors: Albert Monson, Ole Knutson, John E. Erickson, Martin Jacobs, Osmund Mortvedt and Lewis Stout.

Thus is ended a useful life, with its trials, worries and tribulations, and we hope that she entered the pearly-gates in glory and triumph.

She always had time and was willing to sacrifice for others when needed as is evidenced by the fact that she raised Carrie Starkey from childhood to womanhood. Miss Starkey became the wife of Floyd Kassel and lives in Des Moines, where she has a home and family of her own.

Mrs. Askelson was a true friend of everyone who met her, and those who had the privilege to know her felt that they were benefitted and felt at ease in her company. A visit with Mrs. Askelson always made one feel a little bit better.

Among the out of town relatives and friends present were the following; Nels Flettre and Irven of Hewitt, Minn., Eva Haire of Duncombe, the Elmer Prana family of ST. Paul, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Kessel and daughter and Bessie Flettre of Des Moines, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Jacobson of Duncombe, the Albert Askelson family of Austin, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Martin Olson of Stanhope, Mrs. Leonard Thorsbakken of Fort Dodge, and O. L. Olson of Nevada.