TOLLEFSRUD, Gilman 1921-1999

HEBRANSON, TOLLEFSRUD, MELBOSTAD, BIGLER, MOHWINKLE, LUKES, PALMER, KRUSE, HEGLAND, HEADINGTON, HALVERSON, ARMSTRONG, KEMPLE, LIND

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 9/28/2010 at 18:40:31

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999

Gilman Tollefsrud

Gilman Tollefsrud, 77, of Decorah, died Saturday, July 24, 1999, at the Aase Haugen Home in Decorah after a brief battle with liver cancer.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 27, at 11 a.m., at the Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church, rural Spring Grove, Minn., with the Rev. Arndt Braaten officiating.

Kathy Tollefsrud was the organist. The congregation sang three hymns, "Beautiful Savior," "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Blest Be the Tie that Binds".

Casket bearers were his five grandsons, Mikal Tollefsrud, Rick Bigler, Jason Mohwinkle, Adam Lukes and Jeremy Mohwinkle, and a cousin, Rodney Tollefsrud.

Army veteran Robert Gross and Airman First Class Adam Lukes performed a veteran flag folding ceremony and presented the flag to Gilman's wife, Irene.

Burial was in the Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church Cemetery. The French & Balik Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Gilman Tollefsrud was born Nov. 27, 1921, in rural Mabel, Minn., the son of George and Selma (Hebranson) Tollefsrud.

He was baptized at the Mabel (Minn.) Lutheran Church and confirmed at Big Canoe Lutheran Church. He attended area schools through the eighth grade.

On Nov. 8, 1942, he was united in marriage with Irene Melbostad at Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church. To this union, five children were born, Jim, Shirley, Cathy, Julie and Cindy.

Gilman served in the United States Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, from May through October of 1943, and received an honorable medical discharge.
After serving in the Army, Gilman worked in Waterloo for a short time before returning to Winneshiek County to begin farming. Gilman continued to farm until 1978, when he retired and moved to Decorah. During the 1980s, he and his wife spent the winters in Tucson, Ariz.

Gilman was a longtime, member of the Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church, and a member of American Legion Post No. 0249 in Spring Grove for 31 years. He enjoyed farming, trout fishing, attending church, playing euchre with family and friends and following the activities of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Gilman was well known for his sense of humor, his joke telling and his smile.

Survivors include his wife, Irene of Decorah; one son, Jim and Lois (Swenson) Tollefsrud of Spring Groove, Minn.; and four daughters, Shirley and Ron Bigler of Decorah, Cathy and Greg Mohwinkle of Waukon, Julie and Rich Lukes of Calmar, and Cindy and Steve, Palmer of Moline, IL.

Survivors also include 12 grandchildren, Mikal and Shannon Tollefsrud, Kelly and Bryan Wood, Wendy and Scott Twait, Rick Bigler, Stacy and Corey White, Jason Mohwinkle, Jennifer Mohwinkle, Jeremy Mohwinkle; Janet Mohwinkle, Amy and Bob Gross, Adam Lukes and Allison Lukes; and six great-grandchildren, Breanna, Amanda and Chelsey Twait; Erik and Jacob Tollefsrud; and Sawyer White.

Gilman also is survived by one brother, Charles and Lucille Tollefsrud of Decorah; six sisters, Donna (Mrs. George) Kruse of Decorah, LuVerne (Mrs. Raymond) Hegland of Brandon, Miss., Florence (Mrs. Milo) Headington of Decorah, Inga Halverson of Rochester, Minn., Doloris (Mrs. Robert) Armstrong of West Plains, Mo., and Margaret (Mrs. Richard) Kemple of Rochester, Minn.; and numerous nieces and nephews, including one special niece, Marian Rovang Rude of Decorah.

Gilman Tollefsrud was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Truman; and one sister, Gloria Lind.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.