Lorain "LA" Goerdt

Lorain August “L.A.” Goerdt, of Wendell, died Saturday, March 9, 2013, at his home, under the care of his family and Lakeland Hospice.

He was born December 5, 1926, at the family farm west of Wendell, Minnesota, the son of Cornelius and Clara (Walz) Goerdt. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Galls Catholic Church. They moved to a farm near Norcross. He started school in District #40. The family then moved to a farm in Grant County near Wendell. He then attended rural school District #45 where he graduated. He went to the Morris Ag School for one year, and then helped his father with farming. He passed his physical for the service, but got a deferment to help put in and take out the crop. The war was over in June.

On November 22, 1949, he married Lucille Kathleen Westhoff at St. Lawrence Catholic Church near Perham. They lived in Breckenridge, Minnesota for a year before moving to a farm in Lawrence Township in Grant County where he lived the rest of his life. He was employed as a salesman for Trojan Seed Corn and NaChurs Fertilizer. He also worked part time for Allied Moving Company and with Anderson Transfer out of Fergus Falls, retiring in 1991.

He was active in his church serving as an usher and on the Church Council. He also helped as a 4H Leader.

He was an avid sportsman, trapping in the winter, fishing, and hunting deer and pheasants. He enjoyed spending some winter months in California with his sister’s family, and later in Mesa, Arizona. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a loving great-grandfather to all his 24 great-grandchildren. Lorain was very friendly, and loved to talk and visit.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a son, Tom, a nephew, Scott Folsom, a great-grandson, Peyton Gerads, and a brother-in-law Alva Folsom.

Survivors include his wife, Lucille Goerdt, of Wendell; children: Robert (Debra) Goerdt of Fergus Falls, Kathleen (Larry) Stoeser of Willmar, and Dennis (sig. other Kayla Anderson) Goerdt of Elbow Lake; 10 grandchildren: Wayne (Sarah) Goerdt, Campbell, Tammy (Dave) Kjorness, Herman, Melanie (Johnny) Longoria, Fergus Falls, Sherie (sig. other Taylor Olson) Goerdt, Fergus Falls, Lisa (Travis) Gerads, Hudson WI, Eric (Casey) Stoeser, Lincoln ND, Jennifer (Richard) Berg, Big Lake MN, Melissa (Johnnie) Lu, Oakdale MN, Matthew Anderson-Goerdt, Elbow Lake, and Lydia (sig. other Mike Riley) Anderson-Goerdt-Riley, Fargo, ND; 24 great-grandchildren: MacKenzie Gerads, Nolan Gerads, Colton Stoeser, Haley Riley, Alyssa Kjorness, Mariah Kjorness, McKenna Kjorness, Alisha Kjorness, Dylan Goerdt, Hannah Goerdt, Taylor Ness, Lilli Ness, Jacob Ness, Isaac Longoria, Austin Longoria, Analicia Longoria, Adrian Longoria, Izabella Goerdt-Olson, Kourtney Olson, Carson Berg, Kendra Berg, Allison Lu, Aimee Lu, and Andrew Lu; a sister, Joyce Folsom of Georgetown TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are preferred to St. Galls Catholic Church in Tintah, and Lakeland Hospice, Fergus Falls.

Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with a 7 p.m. prayer service, and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church.
Mass of Christian Burial: 11 a.m. Friday, March 15, 2013, at St. Galls Catholic Church, Tintah, MN
Clergy: Father Mike Kellogg
Interment: St. Galls Cemetery, Tintah, Minnesota
Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.