Sanden, Sterling Orlin (1925-2016)

SANDEN, GRUNHOVD, BURSETH, LAWSON, SHAW, CUNNINGHAM, JONES

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 8/25/2016 at 11:21:25

Sterling Orlin Sanden
November 19, 1925 - July 05, 2016

Sterling Orlin Sanden, age 90, of Lake Mills, died on Tuesday, July 05, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa in Mason City, Iowa.

The only son of Arthur and Cora (Grunhovd) Sanden, Sterling was born on November 19, 1925, in Worth County, on a farm south of Joice. Baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Bristol Lutheran Church, he attended Bristol No. 4 Country School and later Joice High School, graduating with the Class of 1943. He spent most of his childhood on the family farm north of Joice.

On June 15, 1952, Sterling married Bonnie Lou Burseth of Leland at the Winnebago Lutheran Church. To their union, three children were born, Robert, Pamela, and Lynn. They lived on the Sanden’s family farm near Joice from 1952 to 1959, farming with Sterling’s parents.

In February 1959, Sterling began working at the Graphic Publishing Company which was later sold to Stoyles Graphic Services in Mason City, Iowa. Sterling continued working in the printing business for a total of forty-four years. In 1959, he and Bonnie decided to build a house in Lake Mills. They lived in town until March 1963 when they purchased a farm south of Emmons, Minnesota, on the Iowa side, and sold their home in Lake Mills. They, then, lived on this farm until 1968. During that time, Sterling continued to farm and work in town. In 1968, however, they decided to build another new home in Lake Mills where they lived for the next thirty-one years. At the same time, they, also, became landlords, having purchased rental properties. Nonetheless, in 2001, they decided to build yet another new home in a different location of Lake Mills.

Sterling enjoyed working even after he could have retired. When he worked, he felt as if he was accomplishing something. Even after he retired from Stoyles Graphic Services, he went to work part-time for the Forest City Summit, a division of Lee Enterprises, delivering papers to towns. He, always, wanted to do his share and liked interacting with people. In 1983, he and his wife traveled to Europe visiting Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, and Switzerland among many other places. Besides farming, Sterling loved camping, going to Bluegrass festivals, sightseeing, attending country music shows, square dancing, ballroom dancing, and clogging, which he did often.

In 1989, Sterling and Bonnie purchased the Sanden family farm where their oldest son, Robert, and his wife, Rose, reside along with their daughter, Crystal, and great-grandson, Dylan. The family farm became a “Century Farm” in 1999.

A member of Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills since 1959, Sterling served for many years as an usher, Sunday school teacher, and a member of the Lutheran Brotherhood.

Those thankful for sharing Sterling’s life are his wife, Bonnie; his three children, son, Robert, and his wife, Rose, daughter, Pam, and her late husband, Dan, and son, Lynn; three granddaughters, Crystal Sanden, Ashley (Brackey) Lawson, and Becky (Brackey) Shaw; and one great-grandson, Dylan Sanden.

Sterling was preceded in death by his parents, Art and Cora Sanden, and two sisters, Arlene Cunningham and Adeline Jones.

We will miss Sterling’s presence. A great husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Sterling had a kind and sincere personality with a very strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be his memory.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, July 22, 2016, at 2:00 PM at Salem Lutheran Church with Pastor Melinda McCluskey officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. A luncheon will follow the memorial service in the Salem Lutheran Church fellowship hall. Inurnment will take place at a later date at the Bristol Lutheran Cemetery, Joice. Memorials can be made to Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills or to the Bristol Lutheran Cemetery, Joice.

Copyright © 2016, Mittelstadt Funeral Home

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