Violet Velander, 91
Violet “Vi” Velander was 91 years old the day she died, March 7, 2011. Her 91st birthday was on February 21, but her children had gathered to celebrate with her on March 3.
Violet “Vi” Velander was 91 years old the day she died, March 7, 2011. Her 91st birthday was on February 21, but her children had gathered to celebrate with her on March 3. What a gift it was that Violet spent her last four days in the home of daughter Karen being cared for by her husband and children. They were all at her side when she took her last breath.
Violet Henrietta Larson was born February 21, 1920 to Betsy and Frank Larson in Parkers Prairie. She attended Parkers Prairie schools and graduated from Spencerian Business School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin before beginning work as a bookkeeper and manager; first in Escanaba, Michigan and then San Francisco, California.
Violet married Leonard Velander on August 24, 1946 at First Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie. They lived in Racine, Wisconsin, Akron, Ohio, Elmhurst, Lombard and Decatur, Illinois before returning to Minnesota and settling in Brooklyn Center to raise their family. They retired to Carlos in 1985 and to Alexandria in 1998. Violet entered Knute Nelson nursing home in Alexandria in February of 2009.
Vi worked as a bookkeeper for the Corps of Engineers and Northwest Bell Telephone, and as vice president and treasurer of Applied Sales and Engineering. She was a faithful volunteer in her church and community.
She is survived by her husband, Leonard; children, Ann (Kurt) Nordby, Peter, and Karen (Craig) Kochsiek; sister, Evelyn Larson of Alexandria; grandchildren, Benjamin, Matthew, Sarah, Petra and Isaac; and great-grandchildren, Cora and Owen.
Violet was preceded in death by her oldest son, Paul; parents, Frank and Betsy; sister, Ebba; and brothers, Bernard, Floyd and Kerman.
Vi will be remembered as a sweet, loving, little woman who was known for her courage, grace, lightheartedness, patience and gift for hospitality.
Funeral services were held Saturday, March 12 at Knute Nelson Chapel in Alexandria. Burial was at the Swedish Lutheran Cemetery in Parkers Prairie.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Knute Nelson Foundation in Alexandria or the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria; www.andersonfuneral.net.
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Tags: obituaries, death
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