C. Arthur "Art" Fosse

Clarence Arthur “Art” Fosse, 96, a resident of Rothsay, died Thursday, January 16, 2014, at the VA Hospital in Fargo.

He was born on March 4, 1917, in rural Carlisle, to Carl and Sigrid (Fetvedt Hagen) Fosse. He was baptized and confirmed (in Norwegian) at Hedemarken Lutheran Church and maintained ties to his home church throughout his life. At the time of his death, he was an active member of New Life Lutheran Church.

On June 13, 1943, he married Edith Halbakken on her family farm. After Art’s service in World War II, they moved to Rothsay, where they began their business, Fosse Transport. Art and Edith spent 47 contented years together.

Art joined the U.S. Army in 1942. He served at several posts in the U.S., as well as overseas in France and the Philippines, leaving the service as a Technical Sergeant. He earned a citation for marksmanship, which was not surprising, since he had been a sportsman since his very early years on the farm.

Art’s first language was Norwegian, and he took advantage of every opportunity to speak his native tongue. He considered it great fun to converse in Norsk with visitors from Norway or with the “old Norwegians” at the Rothsay Truckstop.

Art enjoyed serving his church, community, and school. For 20 years he was the Justice of the Peace, and for 21 years he was the treasurer of the Rothsay School Board. To celebrate the Bicentennial, he was part of a team that built the Rothsay Prairie Chicken. Art took his role seriously, and consulted with experts at the University of Minnesota so that the proportions and stance of the bird would be authentic. Because of the enthusiasm of the community for the project, he often said building it was one of the highlights of his life.

Art and Edith took many winter trips to visit relatives or to sightsee. They enjoyed their days at the family cabin on Lake Lida with its semi-famous “trolley car” that he built. He continued hunting and fishing well into his later years with a group of wonderful friends. Art was a dedicated reader of newspapers and history. He loved gardening and yardwork, as well as puttering in his shop, designing, building, and fixing things. He chose his career wisely, often stating that his work seemed more like a hobby.

Preceding him in death were his wife Edith; his son, Thomas; his daughter-in-law Patricia Ostlund Fosse; his brother Frederick; and his sister, Inga Kragrud.

Survivors include two sons, Ronald, of Fergus Falls, and Paul (Sandy), of Rothsay; one daughter, Barbara, of Japan; a daughter-in-law, Bonnie, of Rothsay; his sister, Agnes Bowman, of Fergus Falls; his sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Ordean Haarstad, of Fergus Falls. Art is also survived by five grandchildren, Brian (Angie) Fosse, Teresa (Steven) Lewis, Allison Fosse, Nicholas (Kim) Fosse, and Zachery Fosse. There are seven great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Tara Mae Lewis, and Arthur, Edyn, Thomas, Nathan, and Kaitlyn Fosse.


Visitation: 1 hour before services at the New Life Lutheran Church
Service: Saturday, January 25th, 2014 at 1:00 in the New Life Lutheran Church in
Rothsay
Clergy: Reverend Paul Huso
Interment: Hamar Cemetery south of Rothsay, MN
Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls

Condolences may be sent online at www.olsonfuneralhome.com