Erdman, Audrey Lucille (Stephenson) 1928 - 2014

ERDMAN, STEPHENSON, NEPP, ANDREWS, REINHARDT, KOMSCHLIES

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/31/2014 at 15:16:54

Audrey L. Erdman, age 86, of Decorah, IA, passed away with grace and peace at Aase Haugen Senior Services on Friday morning, October 24, 2014.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 27, 2014 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Richard Simon Hanson officiating. Burial will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah.

Audrey Lucille Erdman was born August 19, 1928 in Slayton, Minnesota, the first of two children born to Stephen and Irene (Nepp) Stephenson. She grew up in Slayton and completed high school in 1946 before continuing her education with a degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1950. After college she began a teaching career at the high school in Houston, Minnesota where she taught business education until 1953. For the next two years she continued in a similar teaching position at St. James, Minnesota while also beginning a summer Masters degree program at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She spent three fondly remembered summers in Boulder from 1954 to 1956.

In 1955 she accepted a teaching position in the business department at Luther College. At Luther, Audrey met Lowell P. Erdman, who was teaching pre-engineering courses at the college. Audrey and Lowell were united in marriage on August 18, 1956. Eventually Audrey stopped full-time teaching in 1957 as she had begun work as bookkeeper for Erdman Engineering, a position she continued into the 1990s.

While raising a family and keeping books for the family business she still found time for numerous additional activities including membership in the Luther College Women’s Club and Decorah Monday Club. She and Lowell were also part of the founding membership of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, where she served as secretary for several terms.

She began work with the Low Rent Housing Agency in 1970 which led to board membership in the newly founded non-profit Oneota Housing, Inc. in 1972. What began as a secretary of the board position in 1972 evolved into administrator and eventually president of the group from 1981 to 1994. Through this time the multiphase Oneota Housing complex along Ohio Street in Decorah was constructed to serve low income residents. She again served as secretary from 2003 to 2008 during the time the facility was updated and remodeled.

In 1976 she was elected to the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum Board of Trustees where she continued until 2010. Her term on the Board was highlighted by her co-chair work for the committee responsible for the royal visit of King Harald V and Queen Sonja in 1995. For her work in organizing the royal visit she received the title of Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

Audrey enjoyed exploring her Norwegian and German heritage. Family genealogy was more than a hobby and included several trips to Norway. Her authentic family Norwegian Bunad (dress) appeared frequently at many annual Nordic Fests as she participated in numerous Nordic Fest and Vesterheim activities.

She is survived by her husband, Lowell, and their three sons; Lindsay and wife Karla of Decorah, Paul of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and Jeffrey and wife Sharon of Rochester, Minnesota; and one brother, Norris and wife Joyce of Northfield, Minnesota and their three daughters; Kristen Andrews, Karin Reinhardt and Andrea Komschlies.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be given to the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, P.O. Box 379, Decorah, Iowa, 52101 and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 701 Iowa Avenue, Decorah, Iowa.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Phelps Cemetery
 

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