Helen Nord

Helen Nord, 90, formerly of Rothsay, passed away peacefully Friday, October 18, 2019 at Lake Region Hospital, Fergus Falls.

Helen Marian was born May 24, 1929 to Anton and Calma (Lerbakken) Jacobson in Oscar Township on the family farm. She completed eighth grade at District #61. Helen married Gilman Millard Nord on October 27, 1950. During their marriage, they made their home in Port Townsend, WA while Gilman served in the US Army, then they settled in Rothsay, where they raised their two children Shirley and Gene. The family enjoyed traveling and later traveled with other couples, family members, and grandchildren. They traveled to Norway in July 1992 and enjoyed seeing where their ancestors lived. In April 2018, they moved to an assisted living facility in Fergus Falls.

The eldest of four children, Helen was on the tractor as soon as she was able to handle driving it. Once she learned to drive a car, she took eggs and cream to town, and bought the family groceries. Helen was an excellent seamstress, sewing clothes for the family at a very young age, and also enjoyed quilting. Most of her grandchildren received hand-stitched quilts for graduation gifts. Helen sewed anything from wedding dresses, cheerleader uniforms, drapes, and clothing for many people, as well as doing reupholstery work with Gilman.

Throughout her life, Helen worked cleaning homes, took care of babies, held a position at the Rothsay Drug Store, picked potatoes, worked at the potato flake plant in Barnesville, the Pelican Rapids turkey plant, and Beacon Engineering in Rothsay, all while raising her children. Helen was an avid gardener, had beautiful flower gardens in her backyard, and a large vegetable garden; much of the produce was canned and frozen. Helen was able to succeed at many different types of work and projects in her lifetime.

Helen was a gifted hostess who enjoyed entertaining. She made and decorated birthday cakes for her grandkids for many years. Helen had many other hobbies, including knitting, crocheting, painting ceramics, rosemaling, along with cooking and baking. She made excellent lefse, and taught the skill to several of her granddaughters.

She was a member of Hedemarken Lutheran Church, then joined Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (now New Life) after her marriage. Helen served as an officer in the Ladies Aid while attending Our Saviour’s Church.

Helen is survived by her husband Gilman, children Shirley (Doug) Danielson, and Gene (Holly) Nord, all of Rothsay; 9 grandchildren: Cary (Karen) Danielson, Karen (Justin) Phillips, Kristi (Jeff) Bakken, Kay (Matt) Ellerbusch, Justin (Jennifer Vincent) Nord, Sara (Greg) Umlauf, Karla (Sean) Polley, Kelly Danielson, and Kelsey Danielson; 13 great-grandchildren: Kodiak, Allison, Andrea, Lydia, Wesley, Elizabeth, William, James, Jeremiah, Brody, Hattie, Samantha, and Nathan, and 1 great-great-grandson, Theodore; sisters, Alice Girard and Myrtle Carr, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was proceeded in death by an infant brother, her parents, brother Clarence Jacobson, and grandson-in-law, Kevin Cary.

Memorials are preferred to Camp Joy on Star Lake and PARTNERS in Rothsay.


Visitation: one hour prior to the service at the funeral home
Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 26, 2019, at Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Clergy: Rev. Randy Whitehead
Interment: Our Saviors Cemetery, Rothsay
Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls is in charge of arrangement
Online condolences may be sent to www.olsonfuneralhome.com