Charles Rossum, 95

Charles Kermit Rossum, 95, Brandon, passed away at Bethany Home in Alexandria on Monday, October 22, 2012.

Charles was born in Carson North Dakota on February 5, 1917 to Kristian and Stella (Nelson) Rossum. He was the fourth of 12 children. He was baptized in the Lutheran faith on July 1, 1917 and was raised on the farm near Carson and was the first in his family to go to high school. He graduated from Carson High School in 1937.

After hopping a train to Montana and working on a ranch for the summer, he re-joined his family who had moved to Urness Township in Minnesota. He worked for area farmers until he got a job with the Great Northern Railroad, where he worked for 10 years. In 1939 he bought a car and agreed to take Hulda Nordlund to New York Mills to her parents’ house for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas. The next time he saw Hulda was in February of 1940 while roller-skating in Evansville. They were married on July 4, 1940 in Garfield. To this union, four children were born.

On July 5, 1945, Charles was inducted into the U.S. Army and was assigned to troop trains running across the U.S. He was honorably discharged on October 25, 1945.

In 1945, he rented a farm south of Evansville and farmed there for three years and in 1948 bought a farm south of Brandon and farmed there until 1957. In 1957, he moved his family to Montlcair, California due to back problems. In 1958, the family returned to Minnesota and built the first all-electric house in Douglas County.

Charles worked for the city of Brandon as a maintenance man and police officer, and drove school bus until 1966 when he took a job as a guard at the Minnesota State Prison in Stillwater. In 1967, he transferred to the Highway Department in Arden Hills, and in 1968 to the Highway Department in Evansville. He retired from there in 1982.

After his retirement, he had the opportunity to sit with and minister to five of his friends as they battled cancer. His friends and his family were always very important to him. He especially liked to spend time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved to tease them and make them laugh. He loved to listen to the Minnesota Twins, gardening and playing cards with his friends.

He served on the Brandon School Board, church boards, on the Brandon Fire Department for eight years, and was a 63-year member of the American Legion. He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Brandon since 1952.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Kristian and Stella; brothers, Earl, Floyd, Max, Roger and Curtiss; sisters, Alice, Bernice and Margaret; daughter, Carol Koep; and great-grandson, Rocky Lund.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Hulda; daughter, Colleen Lund and husband Dennis; sons, Lynn Rossum and wife Sharon, and Gene Rossum and wife Mary; 14 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, 21 great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Charlotte Dalum of Battle Lake, Evelyn Johnson and husband Bruce Harstad of Alexandria; brother, Walter and wife Romona of Boise, Idaho; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Friday, October 26 at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Brandon. Burial will be at the Brandon Cemetery.

Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria; www.andersonfuneral.net.

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