Loretta Aroline (Larson) WILKIN

WILKIN, LARSON, HAUKAAS-ELEFSON, HAUKAAS, ELEFSON, NORSTAD, BERGLAND, ARNETT, MODNER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/4/2013 at 11:33:50

Loretta Aroline Wilkin
March 5, 1917 --- November 28, 2013

Loretta Wilkin passed away at the La Villa Grande Nursing Home on Thursday, November 28, 2013 in Grand Junction, CO. She was close to 97 years old. She was born on a farm that was between Eagle Grove, IA and Thor. She was born to Lars and Anna Larson. She attended a Norway Township School and graduated from high school in 1934 in Eagle Grove. She attended a junior college and taught in a one-room school house. She met and married William (Haukaas-Elefson) Wilkin on June 15, 1942. She supported her husband during World War II when he was a Battery Commander in the Army in the South Pacific. When they lived in California, she took a job as a telephone operator. After the War, they moved to Denver, CO where her husband was a principal of many areas schools. Before her husband died at 89, they celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. They were members of Messiah Lutheran Church and The Son's of Norway Club in Denver. One of her cousins was Air Force General Lauris Norstad, Commander of NATO. She was very proud of that!

Her grandmother, Inger Bergland, who was from Bergen, Norway, was a very influential person in her life. Loretta was an excellent cook and made many Norwegian breads and pastries. Before her death, she lived in Mesa Vista Assisted Living Center in Parachute; Grace Health Care in Glenwood Springs and La Villa Grande Nursing Home in Grand Junction. Her daughter, Jeanne, helped to take care of her for over 13 years. She is survived by two daughters, Jeanne (Tim) Arnett of Mesa, CO and M. Bodner (Dave) of Moab, UT. She also has 4 grandchildren and one great-grandson. Farnum-Holt of Glenwood Springs is in charge of arrangements. No services are planned.

The Daily Sentinel -- Grand Junction, Colorado
December 1, 2013