Branhagen, Ruth Mildred (Flaskerud) 1927 - 2016

BRANHAGEN, FLASKERUD, WHEATMAN, UDE, PETERSBURG, GILBERTSON, ORTON, TVETER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/9/2016 at 15:12:50

Ruth Mildred Branhagen of Decorah, Iowa, passed away peacefully at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah Saturday, September 3, 2016, at the age of 88.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, 2016, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, with Pastor Amy Zalk Larson officiating. Burial will be in Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery in rural Decorah.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Wednesday beginning at 10:00 a.m., one hour before the service, at the church.

Ruth was born on October 22, 1927, in Calmar Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, to Joseph Oliver and Myrtle Charlotte (Wheatman) Flaskerud. Ruth attended country school in Madison Township and graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1946, and continued on to her teaching certificate.

She was married to Lester Raymond Branhagen on July 8, 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah; they were married 67 years. They were blessed with four children: Richard, Julie, Diane and Alan.

Ruth taught country school for four years. Les and Ruth owned the Cozy Tea Room, The Green Parrot and Les’s Lunch before managing Silvercrest Golf & Country Club. She retired in 1993. She was a former Girl Scout leader, and enjoyed birds, butterflies, gardening and especially her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her favorite pastimes were cheering on the Chicago Cubs, taking a drive to Bluffton to look for eagles and getting together with her family at 3 o’clock on Saturdays for coffee and sweets.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Lester of Decorah; four children: Richard (Pam) Branhagen of Onalaska, Wisconsin; Julie (Gene) Ude of Decorah; Diane (Wayne) Petersburg of Decorah; and Alan Branhagen of Kansas City, Missouri; a sister, Pearl (Gerald) Gilbertson of Decorah; six grandchildren: Ryan (Krista) Petersburg of Webster City, Iowa; Sarah (Jason) Orton of Webster City, Iowa; Lauren Ude of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Erick Ude of Des Moines, Iowa; Jennifer Branhagen of Onalaska, Wisconsin; and Joe Branhagen of La Crosse, Wisconsin; and three great grandchildren: Wyatt and Bryn Orton; and Landry Petersburg. She was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Arlene Tveter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to WMC Hospice, 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA 52101.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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