1917
Ralph
2009
Ralph Strand
November 1, 1917 — May 28, 2009
Ralph Strand, the son of Hans and Aagot (Pettersborg) Strand, was born November 1, 1917 in Litchville, North Dakota and baptized there. After Aagot's death in the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, Hans married Mabel Olson. In 1926 the family moved to Madison, Minnesota. As a youth, Ralph did farm labor, milking cows, plowing with a one bottom sulky plow and later with a gangplow, and threshing on the Olson farm in Dakota. Ralph helped his dad in the elevator, working loading boxcars. He worked for Darrell Poole at the Eastside Skelly station in Madison. Ralph was confirmed at First Lutheran Church. He attended the school and graduated in 1935 from Madison High School.
Ralph met Illa Harstad on the steps of the Carnegie Library in Madison. Illa later followed Ralph back to North Dakota. They were married in Ortonville, Minnesota on September 28, 1940. They were blessed with seven children. Before the war, Ralph worked in the Eastside Skelly Station in Madison, which he later purchased and operated with Kermit Molstad. Ralph enlisted in the United States Navy and served for four years during World War II, primarily in the South Pacific.
Ralph and Illa farmed near Madison for a number of years following the war. Ralph moved his family in the spring of 1952 to a farm northeast of Clinton and farmed for five years. Ralph began work for Big Stone County Co-Op and moved the family into Clinton in 1956. He then worked thirty-five years for the Midland Station. Ralph and Illa took over and ran the Clinton Cafe. Ralph and Illa spent most of their retirement years in Clinton, before moving to Grace Home. Ralph and Illa were married for sixty-five happy years. Ralph enjoyed a number of hobbies over the years. In the 1960's Ralph crafted items such as wagon wheels, threshing rigs, and clocks from bottle caps. He enjoyed making wooden birds. He loved vegetable and flower gardening. Ralph and Illa were Minnesota Twin fans. Ralph and Illa started the “Arctic Open” which is still being enjoyed annually.
Ralph was a life member of BSL VFW #3964 and Campbell – Williams ALP #258. He was very active in the Clinton Community. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton. Ralph died early Thursday morning at Graceville Health Center in Graceville, Minnesota and will be missed by family and friends.
Ralph is survived by seven children, Sandy (Kurt) Casper of Graceville, MN; Louise (Bob) Martig of Blue Earth, MN; Jane (Doyle) Stotesbery of Graceville, MN; Elaine (friend, Russ Scott) Strand of New London, MN; Dean (Karen) Strand of Ortonville, MN; Kathy (Marlin) Zahn of Odessa, MN; and Jeffrey L. (partner, Kim Wm. Jeppesen) Strand of Minneapolis, MN; fourteen grandchildren, Bill, Darren, and Tracy Casper, Gregg and Ben Martig, Christi Stotesbery, Kim Houser, Wendy Stotesbery, Jill Tolifson, Tyler “N.” Strand, Shana Ulrich, Nick Strand, and Jason and Tristan Zahn; twenty-one great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Emily Casper, David and Kevin Casper, Jake, Max and Kate Martig, Miles and James Martig, Kenedi Stotesbery, Noah Houser, Paige and Ellie Babb, Mitchell Kleindl, Maycee and Marshall Tolifson, Andrew, Jacob, and Micah Ulrich, and Dylan and Quentin Strand; one brother, David O. (Arlene) Strand of Minneapolis, MN; sisters, Harriet Bublitz of Cudahy WI, Norma (Ted) Seekon of Ocala, FL, Caroline Bates of Lexington, KY, and Virginia (John) Wilson of Holland, MI, and survived by many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Illa; sister and brother-in-law, Gudrun and Robert Sucher.
Ralph met Illa Harstad on the steps of the Carnegie Library in Madison. Illa later followed Ralph back to North Dakota. They were married in Ortonville, Minnesota on September 28, 1940. They were blessed with seven children. Before the war, Ralph worked in the Eastside Skelly Station in Madison, which he later purchased and operated with Kermit Molstad. Ralph enlisted in the United States Navy and served for four years during World War II, primarily in the South Pacific.
Ralph and Illa farmed near Madison for a number of years following the war. Ralph moved his family in the spring of 1952 to a farm northeast of Clinton and farmed for five years. Ralph began work for Big Stone County Co-Op and moved the family into Clinton in 1956. He then worked thirty-five years for the Midland Station. Ralph and Illa took over and ran the Clinton Cafe. Ralph and Illa spent most of their retirement years in Clinton, before moving to Grace Home. Ralph and Illa were married for sixty-five happy years. Ralph enjoyed a number of hobbies over the years. In the 1960's Ralph crafted items such as wagon wheels, threshing rigs, and clocks from bottle caps. He enjoyed making wooden birds. He loved vegetable and flower gardening. Ralph and Illa were Minnesota Twin fans. Ralph and Illa started the “Arctic Open” which is still being enjoyed annually.
Ralph was a life member of BSL VFW #3964 and Campbell – Williams ALP #258. He was very active in the Clinton Community. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton. Ralph died early Thursday morning at Graceville Health Center in Graceville, Minnesota and will be missed by family and friends.
Ralph is survived by seven children, Sandy (Kurt) Casper of Graceville, MN; Louise (Bob) Martig of Blue Earth, MN; Jane (Doyle) Stotesbery of Graceville, MN; Elaine (friend, Russ Scott) Strand of New London, MN; Dean (Karen) Strand of Ortonville, MN; Kathy (Marlin) Zahn of Odessa, MN; and Jeffrey L. (partner, Kim Wm. Jeppesen) Strand of Minneapolis, MN; fourteen grandchildren, Bill, Darren, and Tracy Casper, Gregg and Ben Martig, Christi Stotesbery, Kim Houser, Wendy Stotesbery, Jill Tolifson, Tyler “N.” Strand, Shana Ulrich, Nick Strand, and Jason and Tristan Zahn; twenty-one great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Emily Casper, David and Kevin Casper, Jake, Max and Kate Martig, Miles and James Martig, Kenedi Stotesbery, Noah Houser, Paige and Ellie Babb, Mitchell Kleindl, Maycee and Marshall Tolifson, Andrew, Jacob, and Micah Ulrich, and Dylan and Quentin Strand; one brother, David O. (Arlene) Strand of Minneapolis, MN; sisters, Harriet Bublitz of Cudahy WI, Norma (Ted) Seekon of Ocala, FL, Caroline Bates of Lexington, KY, and Virginia (John) Wilson of Holland, MI, and survived by many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Illa; sister and brother-in-law, Gudrun and Robert Sucher.