Louise (Torkelson) JERMELAND

JERMELAND, TORKELSON, OLSON, HANDSAKER, SUNDE, ALBERTSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/14/2010 at 12:51:40

August 18, 1920 - December 19, 2009

FOREST CITY, Iowa - Louise Jermeland, 89, of Forest City died Saturday (December 19, 2009) at the I.O.O.F. Home in Mason City.

Louise Jermeland was born on August 18, 1920 in Hardy, Iowa, the daughter of Osmund and Bessie (Olson) Torkelson. She moved with her family to Thompson where she began her education. After the family moved to Forest City she complete her schooling at Ellington School. She was united in marriage to Walter Jermeland on February 28, 1941. The couple farmed near Pilot Knob before moving to Buffalo Center and later to Hayfield in 1957 before settling on the family farm near Pilot Knob in 1980. Louise took an active role in the farming operation, choring livestock and providing meals for hired help. She treasured working with her friends at the Chuck Wagon Cafe in Forest City from 1972 - 1988. In 1992, a year after Walter's death, she moved to Forest City. In October, 2006 she moved to the I.O.O.F. Home in Mason City where she discovered a new family of friends.

Louise was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Her faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ along with family and friends carried her through the hard times in her life. She loved music and believed life's problems could be sung away with a familiar hymn. She passed her love of music on to her family. She truly had the gift of hospitality, preparing meals for others was a delight. Her children remember her delicious sugar cookies, pies and brownies. She was an avid reader, enjoyed history and loved birds ~ especially cardinals! She also loved needlework and quilting.

Louise is survived by her children and their spouses: Bud (Naomi) Jermeland of Forest City and Bonnie (Paul) Handsaker of Radcliffe, Iowa; eight grandchildren: Danielle Handsaker, David Handsaker, Jon (Bethany) Handsaker and Alex, Andrew, Grace, Chris and Michelle Jermeland; a brother, Orrin (Marian) Torkelson of Forest City and sisters Thelma Sunde and Julaine Albertson, both of Forest City. Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Walter, two sons and three daughters who died in infancy, five brothers and four sisters.

Funeral service will be held at 1:30 PM on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at the First Baptist Church in Forest City with Pastor Merrill Olson officiating. Burial will be at Ellington Cemetery in rural Forest City. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 PM on Monday, December 21st at the Petersen Lund Funeral Home 505 N Clark St Forest City IA and will continue an hour prior to service at the church.

http://www.petersenlundfh.com/index.cfm