Bruvold, Gertrude "Lillian" Jeanette (Orvella) 1923 - 2024

BRUVOLD, ORVELLA, STOEN, SMITH, WIRTZ, THOMPSON, SOEDER, CARLSON, JENSEN, HERBERT, THACKER, MAKINSTER, GRAYBILL, RICHARDS, BAUNE, SNIEZEK, JONES, SEEGMILLER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/9/2024 at 14:51:13

Gertrude “Lillian” Jeanette Orvella Bruvold, of Decorah, IA, went home to her Lord, with peace and grace, on August 5, 2024. She recently celebrated her 101st birthday with loved ones from near and far. When asked what the secret is to a long and happy life, she would say, “be kind to everyone, surround yourself with family and loved ones, and have faith.”

Her Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 12, 2024, at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, 1725 Washington Prairie Rd. In rural Decorah with Rev. Peter Kowitz presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at Helms Funeral Home - 306 E. Water St., in Decorah and after 10:00 a.m. at the church on Monday morning.

Lillian was born on June 24, 1923, to her parents, Helmer and Cora (Stoen) Orvella. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. She is a 5th generation member. She grew up on a farm outside of Decorah and attended a one room schoolhouse called Red Oak through eighth grade. She had many responsibilities on the farm, such as collecting eggs from the chickens, milking cows, hauling wood for the stove, and helping her mother buy groceries and cooking. Lillian graduated from a class of 108 students at Decorah High School. After high school, she attended Normal Training to become a teacher. She taught in a one room schoolhouse at both the Knutson School, outside of Calmar, IA and Aschim School in rural Decorah. She would say that teaching was her favorite job. That passion carried on throughout her life as she taught her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids the importance of working hard, always putting family first, sharing her love of cooking and teaching them how to be loyal in their faith.

Lillian met her husband, Harris Bruvold, when they were just two young kids going to Sunday School and were later confirmed together. They started dating in their senior year of high school. Harris enlisted in the Army and served in WWII starting in May of 1942. While he was away, Lillian wrote to him every day. When he returned, they decided to get married and celebrated their wedding day on September 7, 1946. They farmed together and were blessed with four children, Orval, Paul, Harlan, and Lila.

Lillian loved spending time with family, getting involved in her community, and had a passion for conservation, quilting, her Norwegian heritage, playing cards and baking. She had great faith and was a devoted Christian–filled with love, joy, forgiveness, strength, and goodness. She had a way of making everyone feel special and was a selfless and kind woman. Many could argue that she was the world’s best cook and baker. She loved cooking for family gatherings, baking cakes for her family and friends, baking for events at her church and sharing goodies with everyone that she knew. She even made special treats for the gals at her beauty salon, and card clubs weekly. Lillian was proud of her Norwegian heritage and carried on family traditions of baking of krumkake, lefse, sandbakkels, lutefisk, sweet soup and rommegrot. She made beautiful confirmation, graduation and wedding cakes for all of her kids and grandkids and for most of her nieces and nephews as well.

Lillian played in several card clubs over the years. Some of her family’s greatest memories were spent around her table playing cards, telling stories, eating her baked goods, and watching her giggle till she shook. (usually when she was being sneaky and knew she had a good hand of cards to play). She has made over 250 quilts in her retirement years that have been donated to church members, fundraisers, missions, and gifted and cherished by her loved ones. Lillan also enjoyed playing hide the thimble with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She made all of her great-grandchildren quilts with hidden thimbles for them to find.

Lillian was actively involved at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, where she was a chairperson of numerous committees for many years. She taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, participated in Circle, cooked, and served countless meals and was a member of the Women of the ELCA.

She was a member of the Winneshiek County Farm Bureau Women and delivered Meals on Wheels five days a week, 52 weeks of the year, for over 15 years. Her love for serving her community and passion for conservation didn’t stop there. She served as a commissioner of the Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation Board for over 30 years. Lillian also served as President at the Decorah Senior Hospitality Center for many years, served on the Aase Haugen Home Women’s Auxiliary, the Winneshiek County Planning and Zoning Committee, the Winneshiek County Historical Society, served on the Locust School Subcommittee, served as the County Chairman for the Heart Association, and helped organize the United Way Fund in Winneshiek County. She also was a member of the Wayside Garden Club and received the Governor's Award for volunteering for the State of Iowa twice.

Lillian is survived by her son, Paul (Sue) Bruvold; daughter, Lila Smith (Fred Wirtz); daughters-in-law Diane (Carl) Thompson and Jane Bruvold; and her sister Arlys (Wayne) Soeder, her grandchildren: Angie (Brett) Carlson; Sandy (Chris) Jensen; Rochelle (TL) Herbert; Ryan (Jill) Bruvold; Karissa (Brian) Thacker; Brianna (Andrew) Makinster; Tiffany (Mitch) Graybill; Joni Bruvold, Kelsey (Dave) Richards; her great grandchildren: Katie (Kyle) Baune, Luke and Rachel Carlson; Ryan Sniezek, Thomas, Mason, and Collin Herbert, Cael and Jaeley Thacker, Ivy and Liv Makinster, Liam and Harlow Graybill, Rylee Richards, her great-great grandchildren Leo and Eli Baune and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harris Bruvold (1983); her sons Orval (1989) and Harlan (2011) Bruvold, her parents, Helmer and Cora Orvella; her parents-in-law, Oscar and Helma Bruvold; her brother, Willard (Eloise) Orvella; brothers and sisters-in-law, Lester (Christine) Bruvold, Grace (Blaine) Jones, Inez (Orlie) Seegmiller; and nephews Gary and Dale Jones.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations be made in Lillian’s memory to the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund, WinnMed Hospice, Aase Haugen Nursing Home, or the Decorah Senior Hospitality Center.

“Keep your roots deep in him and have your lives built on him. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always be thankful.” – Colossians 2:7

Source: Helms Funeral Home database

Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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