Milan Clarence MANDSAGER

MANDSAGER, HAGEN, THALHAUG, LENNING, MILLER, MAGALLANES, WUNDERMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/13/2010 at 11:29:06

May 14, 1933 -- May 8, 2010

Milan Clarence Mandsager passed away May 8, 2010, seven days before his 77th birthday at the care center in Nora Springs, Iowa. Funeral services will be at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Hardy Iowa during its regular worship service on May 23 at 11:00 AM. A committal service, lunch and time for remembrances of Milan will follow. Memorial gifts may be given to Lutheran World Relief or Child Voice International.

Milan was born in North Battle Ford, Saskatchewan, Canada on May 14, 1933 to Melvin Olaf Mandsager and Clara Caroline Hagen Mandsager. At age three, because of his mother's illness he lived with his grandmother, Hannah A. Thalhaug Hagen, in Middle Coon Valley, WI for two years and then with his Father Melvin, Grandfather Lars Mandsager and Uncle Jacob Mandsager and sister, Doris Grace, and brother, Monrad Vern in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Milan attended kindergarten in Eagle Grove and first through fourth grade at Norway #3 country school when the family moved to the Lars Mandsager homestead near Thor, Iowa. This was the same country school that all of Milan's ten uncles and aunts attended and were taught in Norwegian. In third grade he contacted the mumps, which settled in his ears causing mastoiditis and breaking of the eardrums. He was hospitalized in Iowa City for weeks and then received his first hearing aid. When the estate was sold the family moved to a farm in Grove township where Doris, Milan and Monrad attended Grove #6 country school.

Milan graduated from Humboldt High School in 1951. Each morning all the chores had to be done, clothes changed and breakfast eaten before catching the school bus by 7:15 AM. After high school Milan went two quarters to the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN, and then studied at Eagle Grove Community College, graduating in 1956. Working with his dad on the farm planting, harvesting and caring for the livestock, Milan proved to be a good farmer, mechanic and carpenter. He helped move Grove #7 School to the farm, adding a basement, kitchen and living room for a new home after his dad and Neve Lorraine Lenning were married in 1954. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, being confirmed in 1946; he taught youth and adults in Sunday School for many years. Milan had a life-long journey of faith and hope in God's promise. Despite his mental illness he maintained a sense of humor, greeting everyone with a smile or tease.

Milan was preceded in death by his mother, Clara Caroline Hagen Mandsager in 1953 and his father, Melvin Olaf Mandsager in 1991. He is survived by his step-mother, Neva Lenning, age 99, who resides at Humboldt North Care Center, and by his sister, Doris Grace (Bob) Miller of Livermore, CO, nephews, Tedd of Las Vegas, NV, Darrell and his sons DJ, Frank, and Michael, and niece Diane Louise Miller (Joseph) Magallanes and their son, Andrew, and daughter, Michaela of Oxnard, CA. Milan's brother, Monrad Vern (Karen) Mandsager lives in Albert Lea, MN and nephew, Craig in Bejing, China, and nephews Phillip and Peter in Minneapolis,and neice, Deborah Ann (Rick) Wunderman and their daughter, Essie Anna in Arlington, VA.

Mason Lindhart Funeral Home
http://masonlindhart.com/obits/2010/m-mandsager.htm