Haugen, Elsie Mabel (Halverson) 1920 - 2018

HAUGEN, HALVERSON, ORVELLA, FALCK, ESPE, HAMILTON, LEWISON, SOLAND

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/16/2018 at 16:05:00

Elsie M. Haugen, age 97, of Decorah, IA, died Saturday, August 25, 2018 at her home in Decorah.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, with Rev. Dr. Jennifer Edinger officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 28 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Wednesday beginning at 10:00 a.m., one hour before the service, at the church.

Elsie Mabel (Halverson) Haugen was born October 17, 1920 in a two story log home in Springfield Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, the daughter of John and Hilda (Orvella) Halverson. She went to the Nordness Country School through the 8th grade, and graduated from Decorah High School in May 1939.

She got her first drivers license in 1939. She drove a Model A Ford pickup and gradually got to drive the Hudson. She stayed at home and helped on the farm, and other relatives, and worked at the Nordness Store for Tom Haugen. She also helped at the Nordness Telephone switchboard. She worked at the Montgomery Ward order office until 1944. She was asked to accompany her crippled aunt to Renton, WA, to live with her brother, Grant. They thought the climate change might help her. Mr. Noecker, taxi driver, took them to Minneapolis; from there they went by train and had a special room for them. A classmate and friend Volborg Ramsey, had a job in Stockton, CA, so she went from Washington to California and got a job at a wholesale hardware store. She worked the switchboard and also typed invoices, etc. She returned to Decorah in 1945.

She was united in marriage with Ivan W. Haugen on February 11, 1947 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. They were blessed with three children: Irene, Pearl and James.

Ivan and Elsie farmed until retiring in 1990 and moved into Decorah. She was an active member of Washington Prairie Lutheran Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ivan on December 4, 1997; one son, James Haugen on October 20, 1982; one daughter, Irene Falck on November 4, 2011; son-in-law Harold on July 14, 2006; three sisters: Rebecca Halverson, Hazel Espe and Clara Halverson; and one brother, Orville Halverson.

Elsie is survived by one daughter, Pearl (Roger) Hamilton of Decorah; four grandchildren: Brenda Falck, Randy (Janet) Falck, Tina (Tim) Lewison and Dean Hamilton: six great-grandchildren: Shawnee Falck, Cody Falck, Ethan Falck, Tristan Lewison, Talan Lewison and Tessa Lewison; one sister, Julia Soland of Decorah; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Halverson of Decorah; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, 1725 Washington Prairie Road, Decorah, IA 52101 or W.M.C. Hospice, 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA 52101.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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