Virginia (Lee) WILLIAMSON THORSTAD

THORSTAD, LEE, BRINK, WILLIAMSON, ANDERSON, OLSON, MUIR, NORDAUNE, MOLL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/4/2013 at 14:14:57

July 18, 1920 --- May 2, 2006

Memorial services for Virginia Thorstad of St. Paul, formerly of Morris, were held on Friday, May 5, at Pedersen Funeral Home. The Reverend Alison Boomershine officiated. Burial was in Summit Cemetery. Virginia Thorstad passed away in her sleep early Tuesday morning, May 2, 2006. She had been battling double pneumonia which took her life. She was 85 years of age.

Virginia Lee was born in Renwick, Iowa, on July 18, 1920, to the prominent farm family of William and Tressa (Brink) Lee. The Lees then moved to Alberta, Minnesota, where Virginia went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. She graduated from Alberta High School in 1939 and attended Moorhead State Teachers College for two years. She married Lloyd Williamson on Dec. 7, 1941. Three children were born to this union, Marianne in 1943, Frances in 1946 and Vivian in 1948. During the WWII years, Virginia worked at the Morris rations office. In 1952 she married Harry Thorstad of Starbuck. One child was born of this union in 1953: Ivalou. The Thorstad family made their home in Starbuck where Virginia worked as a telephone operator for many years. In 1967, Harry, Virginia and Ivalou moved to St. Paul where they lived until 1971. They then moved to Big Lake for a few years before retiring and taking up residence in her parents home in Morris after their deaths in 1964 and 1980.

Upon Harry's death in May of 1987, Virginia moved to a senior apartment complex in Morris where she lived until a bout of diabetes caused her to move where she could get more care. In 1996 she moved to the Roseville Good Samaritan center. Virginia had been a member and sang in the choirs of First Lutheran Church of Morris, Minnewaska Lutheran Church of Starbuck, East Emanuel Lutheran Church of St. Paul and Saron Lutheran Church of Big Lake. For many years she was a member of the Ladies Aid of Minnewaska Church and sang many solos there. She was a past worthy matron of the Morris chapter of the Order of Eastern Star. She was also a member of the Sons of Norway, Glenwood Lodge.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, William and Tressa Lee; one brother, Quincy "Maynard" Lee; and one grandson, William Anderson. She is survived by one sister, Wilma Josephine "Billie Jo" Olson of Sun City Center, Florida; four daughters, Marianne (Alan) Anderson of Vadnais Heights, Francis Muir of Merced, California, Vivian (Kenneth) Nordaune of Sterling Heights, Michigan, and Ivalou Moll of Woodbridge, Virginia. She has nine grandchildren and several great grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers were Virginia's grandsons: Scott Moll, Andrew Moll and Christopher Moll. Deb Mahoney was the organist for the service. Pedersen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Morris Sun Tribune - Morris, Minnesota
May 6, 2006