Nellie Larson

Nellie Larson, 97, a lifelong resident of the Fergus Falls area, died Tuesday, September 17, 2013, at Bethany on University in Fargo, North Dakota.

She was born January 8, 1916, at home in rural Fergus Falls, the daughter of Cornelius and Koosje (deBloois) Mark. The family later moved to a home near Jolten Lake in rural Dalton. She graduated from District 20. In her early working years, she worked for the Anton Gunderson and Selmer Sivertson families and later at St. Lukes’s Hospital in Fergus Falls working in the kitchen and laundry.

On December 10, 1941, she married Arthur A. Larson at the church parsonage in Dalton. They lived in rural Dalton until purchasing their farm in Dane Prairie Township in 1952. In 1981 they sold the farm and moved to their home in Fergus Falls.

Nellie had many hobbies, baking, sewing, gardening, crafting, quilting and crocheting. She was known as the “Lefse Lady” and won first place in the Potato Days lefse baking contest in Barnesville, MN in 1997. During her lefse making years, it was not uncommon for her to bake between 500 and 600 pounds of potatoes into lefse between Labor Day and Christmas. She was also known for her doughnuts. She loved to bowl, a hobby that she continued into her late 80s. In 1972, she completed nurse aide training in Fergus Falls and began her 25-year employment at Lake Region Hospital. She loved her job as a nurse aide as it fulfilled her dream of someday being a “nurse”.

As a lifelong member of Tordenskjold Free Lutheran Church, Underwood, MN, Nellie was involved as a Sunday School teacher and in the Ladies Aide. She loved preparing for the annual church bazaar and recently commented that “it wasn’t so much hard work as it was stressful” preparing for the day. She was a member of the Tordenskjold Homemakers group and for several years she and Art volunteered with the local Lutheran Brotherhood Branch.

Nellie loved family. Whether it was a drop in or a planned visit, you never went away hungry. She was very proud of her Dutch heritage and had the pleasure of visiting her Dutch relatives in the Netherlands on three different occasions, the most recent being in 2002 accompanied by all four of her children.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband of 61 years, Arthur Larson, her siblings, Huberdina, John, and Martin Mark, and Cornelia “Corie” Pederson, and a son-in-law, John Sailer.

Survivors include her four children: Allen (Susan) Larson of Fergus Falls, MN, Carol Sailer of Wheaton MN, Judy (Greg) Evenson of Thief River Falls MN, and Neal (Kalynn) Larson of Moorhead MN; ten grandchildren: Randy (Lori) Larson, Melissa Larson, Paula (Shane) Birch, Troy (Janet) Sailer, Jeff (Andrea) Sailer, Kyle (Michelle) Evenson, Wade (Triscia) Evenson, Shari Voge, Katie Larson, and Charlie Larson; 20 great-grandchildren; sisters Bessie Swendsrud and Marie Priebnow; brothers Henry and Floyd Mark; and many nephews and nieces.

With gratitude we thank the staff at Bethany on University and Hospice of the Red River Valley for their loving care. You have assisted in countless ways to make her final journey home as gracious and comfortable as possible.

Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church
Service: Saturday, September 21, 11:00 AM at Tordenskjold Free Lutheran Church, rural Underwood
Clergy: Reverends Mark Johnson and Brett Boe
Interment: Tordenskjold Free Lutheran Cemetery, rural Underwood
Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.