Veona Sletten, 88, of Underwood, died Wednesday, December 4, 2013, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.
She was born June 13, 1925, in Popple, Minnesota, the daughter of Waino and Elizabeth (Pellinen) Harju. She was baptized at Faith Lutheran Church on December 11, 1925. She graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1943, and then from Bemidji State Teachers College in 1945. In 1961 she received her Bachelor’s Degree from Bemidji State.
On June 19, 1948, she married George Sletten in Deer River, Minnesota. They lived in many towns including Nashwauk, MN, Clarkston, WA, Bemidji and Thief River Falls, MN, before finally settling in Deer River, Minnesota in 1961. Veona taught for many years, retiring in 1983 from the Deer River School System. In 1993 they moved to the Underwood area to be near their grandchildren and to be able to attend all of their school activities.
Veona enjoyed flower gardening, sewing, collecting frog ornaments, being outdoors, and especially spending time with her family and grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, George, in 2007, her parents, four brothers: Walter, William, Willard, and Wesley Harju, and three sisters: Viola Miller, Verna Fink, and Vivian Thompson.
Survivors include her son, Gary (Ingrid) Sletten of Underwood; two grandchildren: Aaron (Jennifer) Sletten of Underwood MN, and Megan (Joshua) Packard of Greeley CO; two great-grandsons, Holden Packard and Memphis Sletten; a brother, Wilbert (Eleanor) Harju of Roseville MN; a sister, Virginia (Gregg) Herreid of Elk River MN; brothers-in-law: Harlow Thompson, Deer River, Ernie (Edna) Sletten, Quincy WA, and Art (Avis) Sletten, Bemidji; sisters-in-law: Ivy Harju, Clearfield UT, Arvella Skarohlid, Princeton MN, Myrtle (Ed) Risland, Bemidji, Betty Larsen, Bemidji, and Florence Sletten, Fergus Falls; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation: 9-11 a.m. Monday at the church
Service: 11 a.m. Monday, December 9, 2013 at Sverdrup Lutheran Church in Underwood
Clergy: Reverend Nancy Monke
Interment: In the spring at Greenwood Cemetery in Bemidji, Minnesota
Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.