Haugen, Vneda Maxine (Johnson) 1914-2007
HAUGEN, JOHNSON, THORSEN, DEREUS, LANE, CAREY, NELLES
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/6/2012 at 12:35:43
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Vneda Maxine Johnson Haugen, 93, passed away of congestive heart failure on Sunday July 15, 2007 in Comfort House Hospice, Pella, Iowa.
Vneda was born January 25, 1914 to Albert and Tildora (Thorsen) Johnson on the home farm of her maternal grandparents, Torge and Sallie Thorsen, in Hesper Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Vneda grew up in Decorah, Iowa and graduated from Decorah High School with the Class of 1931.
On September 18, 1934 Vneda married Arnold O. Haugen of rural Decorah in Wenatchee, Washington. Over the years Arnold and Vneda lived in Pullman, Washington, Ann Arbor and East Lansing, Michigan, Auburn, Alabama, and Ames, Iowa. When Arnold retired in 1973 from Iowa State Univ. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Interior, they split their time between Mesa and Cottonwood, Arizona, and Decorah and Dorchester, Iowa.
In 1998 Vneda and Arnold moved near their daughter in Pella, Iowa. For the past four years Vneda has been a resident of Friendschap Assisted Living in Pella.
At the time of her death, Vneda was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Pella. She was confirmed and gave profession of faith in the Decorah Lutheran Church, Decorah, Iowa in 1929 and was a lifetime member of the Lutheran Church.
Vneda and Arnold were very proud of their Norwegian heritage. Wherever they lived in their life together, Vneda and Arnold kept the family Norwegian traditions alive. They were 36 year members of Sons of Norway and long time members and supporters of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Decorah, IA. Four successive years Vneda taught Scandinavian Cooking and Norwegian embroidery at Leisure World in Mesa, AZ and during her lifetime participated in many Norwegian events. Nordic Fest in Decorah was one of her favorite festivals.
She loved to dance. When she was young, she and Arnold were frequent visitors to the Innwood Ballroom in Spillville, IA. During the 1940s and 1950s, Vneda was an avid archer along with her family and competed in numerous tournaments in Michigan and Alabama. She was also an active Girl Scout leader, participant in her church and involved in PTA.
Vneda was a caring and generous person who shared her talents and home with everyone and devoted many volunteer hours to her community wherever she lived. Vneda will be remembered for her humor, gentle nature and her many talents.
Vneda is survived by two daughters: Sallie (Darrell) DeReus, Leighton, IA; Sonja (James) Lane, Northville, MI; a son, Chris (Sunny) Haugen, Fargo, ND; six grandchildren; six great grandchildren; a sister, Gayle (Ken) Carey, Mesa, AZ and a brother, Cecil Johnson, Prescott, AZ.
Vneda was preceded in death by Arnold (July 4, 2002), her husband of 67 years; a son, Arnold O. Haugen Jr.Lt.JG (1963); a 7 week old great grandson, Jonathan Nelles (1999); and a sister-in-law, Lilabelle Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, if you wish to make a donation, it may be made to the charity of your choice, Hauge Lutheran Church, 3147 Middle Hesper Road, Decorah, Iowa 52101 or Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, P.O. Box 379, Decorah, Iowa 52101.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, July 19, 2007 at Hauge Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, by Pastor Kim Wills, with burial in the Church Cemetery.
Friends may call after 10:00 A.M. Thursday at the Church.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Hauge Lutheran cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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