Charles Harvey Mortenson, 78
Charles Harvey Mortenson, 78, of Kennedy, MN passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 29, 2022.
Charles was born to Herbert & Helen (Warnes) Mortenson in Hallock, MN on January 25, 1944. He was baptized and confirmed at Red River Lutheran Church and grew up in Svea Township of Kittson County.
Charles graduated from Kennedy High School in 1962. He briefly attended Moorhead State University, and then enlisted in the National Guard. When his father passed away in 1967, he came home to farm with his brother, Peter.
He met Jan Hattermann at a party in Minneapolis in 1968. They got married in Germantown, Iowa on November 21, 1970. They lived on the home farm by Kennedy, MN until 1975 when they built the house at their current residence in Skane Township. They started a family with Jeffrey Charles on March 21, 1973, followed by Christopher Lee on August 14, 1975, and Janelle Marie on April 25, 1983.
When Peter retired farming in 1997, Charles continued with his sons, Jeffrey & Christopher, until Charles retired at age 62, but he continued to help on the farm right up until he passed away.
He enjoyed fishing, driving his pickup, visiting with friends, and time spent with his kids and grandkids. He was especially proud to be a grandpa and loved talking about his grandchildren.
Charles was a life-long member of Red River Lutheran Church. He served on the Skane Township Board, Kittson Marshal Rural Water Board, and the Red River Cemetery Board.
He is survived by his wife, Jan, of 51 years, his sons Jeffrey (Traci) Mortenson, Christopher (Crisa) Mortenson, and daughter Janelle (Erik) Lindegard, grandchildren, Dawson Mortenson, Ava, Hogan and Vayle Mortenson, Marcus and Hayley Lindegard, his sister, Diane Brettingen of Grand Forks ND, brother Dean Mortenson of Kennedy MN, sister-in-law Doris Mortenson, Kennedy MN, brother-in-law Walt Lizakowski of Princeton MN, brother-in-law Jim (Judy) Hattermann of Germantown IA, sisters-in-law Dorothy Johnson of Sioux City IA, Pat (Fred) Dexter of Venice FL, Marlene Thompson of Hoschton, GA and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Charles is preceded in death by his parents Herbert and Helen, brother Peter Mortenson, sister Sondra Lizakowski, father and mother-in-law Clarence and Orphie Hattermann, brothers-in-law, Donald Hattermann, John Hattermann, Terry Johnson, and sister-in-law Diana Hattermann.
Funeral service for Charles is at Red River Lutheran Church, rural Kennedy, on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 2 p.m. with a visitation one hour beforehand. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Austin Chapel, Hallock.
Austin Funeral Chapel
As a son of Harriette Sorenson Freer,
born August 12, 1920 in Kennedy, MN,
and nephew of Veryl Mortenson (no relation), I would have enjoyed knowing Charles Harvey Mortenson, who passed recently.
POST SCRIPT:
We were both born in 1944.
THANK GOD THE U.S. AND ENGLAND, ET ALIA WERE VICTORIOUS IN WWII!