Johnson, Austina (1910-2011)

JOHNSON, TUNGESVIK, KNUTSON, HAUAN, JACOBSON, BJORNSEN, ZENKER, FOX, BRANDAU

Posted By: Paul Nagy, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/15/2011 at 17:47:52

Austina Johnson
November 12, 1910 - March 11, 2011

LAKE MILLS - Austina Johnson, age 100, of Lake Mills, died Friday, March 11, 2011, at the Lake Mills Care Center.

Austina Johnson, the daughter of Osmund and Andrine (Knutson) Tungesvik, was born on November 12, 1910, on the family farm near Radcliffe, Iowa. On May 6, 1929, she was united in marriage to Mandius (M.O.) Johnson in Adel, Iowa. The couple resided in McCallsburg for a short time, later moving to Radcliffe where M.O. operated a corn shelling and trucking business. In 1945, they moved to a farm near Thompson where they farmed and raised their family of seven children.

Busy with her large garden, flowers, and farming chores including raising hundreds of chickens and selling their eggs, Austina also made many hand stitched quilts, tied them, and braided rugs that her family enjoyed receiving as gifts. Austina was very active in her church, Bethany Lutheran, and in her circle, Ladies Aid. She organized the quilting projects each winter for several years. She also was active in the JFF Club and the Young at Heart Club in Thompson. She enjoyed spending time with her family and especially her grandchildren.

M.O. and Austina enjoyed taking road trips around the country visiting family and seeing the sights. In 1969, they started building their retirement home in town and moved into it in December of 1970, just in time to enjoy Christmas. In 1984, Austina and twelve Tungesvik family members took a fifteen day tour to Norway to see where her father had grown up and to visit their Norwegian relatives.

Austina's son, Ronald, took care of her for five years so she could stay in her home as long as possible. After she broke her hip in 1997, however, she entered the Lake Mills Care Center.

Austina is survived by her seven children: Marcella Hauan, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Joan Jacobson, of Thompson, Iowa, Lois (Morris) Bjornsen, of Blue Earth, Minnesota, Ronald Johnson, of Bullhead City, Arizona, Dorothy (Ralph) Zenker, of Escanaba, Michigan, Sharon (Freeman) Fox, of Garner, Iowa, and Linda Brandau, of Nora Springs, Iowa. Also surviving are seventeen grandchildren, thirty-nine great-grandchildren, eighteen great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of forty-four years, Mandius, on October 25, 1973; four sons-in-law, Ray Hauan, Edwin Jacobson, Kjell Bjornsen, and Harlan Brandau; two sisters, Bertha and Mabel; and four brothers, Andrew, Omer, Jacob, and Silas.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Lake Mills Care Center for the excellent care they gave Mom these past fourteen years.

As per her wishes, her body has been cremated. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at 2:00 PM at Bethany Lutheran Church in Thompson with Pastor Mark Decker officiating. Visitation will be held an hour prior to service at the church. Inurnment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thompson.

Copyright © 2011, Petersen Lund Funeral Home

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