Fern (Ogden) KELSEY

KELSEY, SANDERS, GERDES, NELSON, KRUEGER, KNAAK, FORSYTHE, PATTERSON, OGDEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/22/2008 at 23:26:26

The Journal, New Ulm, Minnesota
May 4, 2000

Fern Kelsey, 91, of Truman, Minnesota died Tuesday, May 2, 2000, at Luther Retirement Home, Truman. Services are 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Madelia, with burial in Riverside Cemetery. Visitation is 5-8 p.m. today at Pilgrim Funeral Home, Madelia, and will continue one hour prior to services Friday at the church.

She is survived by daughters, Maxine Sanders of Truman, Shirley "Mardelle" Gerdes and husband Harry of Ormsby, Marjory Nelson and husband David of Hummelstown, Penn., Carole Krueger and husband Don, and Charlotte Knaak and husband Jerold, all of St. James, and Valerie Forsythe and husband Gary of Albert Lea; sons, Dale and wife Judie of Fairfax, Va. Ronald and wife Jeanne of Lamberton, and Malcolm and wife Karen of Lewisville; 27 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; daughter Donna Jean; sister Valva; two great grandchildren; and son-in-law Edward Sanders.

She was born July 1, 1908, in Galt, Iowa, to Earl and Charlotte (Patterson) Ogden. She grew up in rural St. James, where she attended rural schools and St. James High School. She married Dale Kelsey on June 25, 1927, in Estherville, Iowa. They farmed in rural Madelia and Lewisville, retiring in 1974, when they moved to Madelia. She moved to Luther Retirement Home in March 1999. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Order of the Eastern Star, Madelia Hospital Auxiliary, Madelia Garden Club, and the Extension Group. She had also been a 4-H leader. She was awarded the Outstanding Senior Citizen for Watonwan County in 1981.