Alice Magnuson, 98
Alice Magnuson passed away on December 31, 2010 at the LifeCare Roseau Manor at the age of 98.
Alice Olafson was born on April 30, 1912 in Dieter Township of Roseau County to Grimur and Bertha (Bjarnason) Olafson, the youngest of 9 children. She was baptized and confirmed at Pinecreek Lutheran Church and grew up on the family farm, herding cattle and helping with sheep. She attended grade school at District #10 N. and graduated from the 8th grade.
Alice married Alvin Magnuson on November 28, 1930 at Roseau. They lived at Wampum, Manitoba that winter where Alvin worked in the woods. They moved back to the Dieter Township and farmed dairy cattle, sheep and chickens. She usually had a large garden and canned hundreds of jars of berries. She was an avid letter writer, keeping in touch with many scattered family members. When Alvin died on March 26, 1967, Alice moved to Roseau and worked at Nelson’s Café for several years. She lived in the building presently known as Bonnie’s Floral until the mid 1990’s when she moved to Eventide and entered Sheltering Oaks, now LifeCare Roseau Manor in 2002 after the flood. She enjoyed reading, getting several magazines and newspapers, keeping up with news of family member and especially loved to embroider linens, usually having about 6 items going at a time. Alice was Secretary for the NW Committee on Aging for several years, volunteered at the Four Seasons Senior Center and was a life member of the Northland Threshing Bee.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin; son, Clarence; two premature infant sons; her parents; six brothers, Milton, Sigfus, Oliver, Wilhelm, Louis, and Clarence; sisters, Laura McLain and Evelyn Drake.
She is survived by her five children, Bertha Erickson of Baudette, Gordon (Karen) Magnuson of Virginia Beach, VA, Lorraine (LaDell) Nelson of Beloit, WI, Shirley Magnuson of Roseau and Avis (Melroy) Wiskow of Greenbush, MN; 15 grandchildren, Debra (Bill) Sindelir, Mark (Teri) Erickson, Diane (Don) Hayes, Michael (Pat) Erickson, Susan (Jeff) Boeckmann, Daniel (Mary) Magnuson, Kathryn (George) Brancato, Cheryl (Rick) Barber, Denise Nelson, Gail (Steve) Drake, Karla (Jeff) Rudolph, Rick (Wendy) Nelson, Earl Wiskow, Angie (Rodney) Truscinski, and John Wiskow; 26 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Margaret Magnuson; one first cousin and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Concordia Lutheran Church in Ross, MN. Interment will be at the Concordia Cemetery.
