USA: Spring Grove Woman Stays Active at Age 88

CALEDONIA, Minnesota (The Caledonia Argus), August 15, 2006: The Houston County Agricultural Society Board has chosen Edith Nerstad of Spring Grove, and Vernon “Bud” Marnach of Caledonia as this year’s Outstanding Senior Citizens for the county. They will be recognized for their volunteer roles during the County Fair’s Senior Citizen program, Thursday, August 17. Both honorees will receive a special certificate of commendation from Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Their names will also be submitted to the Minnesota Board on Aging for the state selection process for the Outstanding Senior Citizens. “I’m honored, but there are others who should have it,” Edith stated, humbly, about the county recognition. This will be the second award she received this year. In May, the Spring Grove Syttende Mai Committee chose Edith as Mest Hoyektet Dame (Most Honored Woman) for her volunteer work. People become more physically fit when they are active, and Edith is a good role model with her active lifestyle. At age 88, she continues to do gardening, sewing, baking, and helping others. “She’s always there to help with whatever needs doing,” her children point out. At this time, Edith is most active with the women’s groups, circle and work groups of Trinity Lutheran Church, helping in any capacity she is asked. Not only does she participate in their “Love Day” quilting for Lutheran World Relief missions, but also works at home, cutting fabric pieces and assembling an estimated 20-30 quilt tops each year. On the last Friday of each month, she spends about six hours at church, plus an average of 40 hours a month sewing quilt tops, middles and backs at home – likely, more time than any other member of the congregation, her family estimates. These quilts not only provide comfort to the needy in foreign countries, but are also given to local causes including Semcac, and to area people devastated by fires or other tragedies. “I like to sew,” Edith states. “I learned from my mother when I was a kid, and sewed for my four girls.” For many years, as a member of the Tweeten Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Edith used her sewing skills to mend and repair the facility’s bed linens and patient’s clothing for the hospital and nursing home. “We’d meet in the hospital basement, where we repaired garments and torn sheets, seams in pillowcases, sewed on buttons, etc.,” she explained. “When Gundersen Lutheran of La Crosse took over the hospital, they didn’t want us to do that anymore,” she noted, adding, “I really miss that yet.” Baking is another skill Edith has been doing all her life. She bakes a variety of foods, but is especially known for making Norwegian goodies including lefse, flatbrod, strull, and cookies. Those who do not have the time or ability to do this ethnic baking look forward to purchasing these items at local bake sales. She spends numerous hours baking goodies in her kitchen, and generously donates them to the church, hospital auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of Norway bake sales. Proceeds from these sales benefit the community and needs of others. For 13 years, Edith worked at the hospital/nursing home, and has always been very caring for the elderly and sick. She served as treasurer of the Hospital Auxiliary for many years. She would purchase gifts for patients at Christmas and other events. Proceeds from the two annual bake sales would be put back into purchasing linens, bedspreads and drapes for the facility. As sports director for Sons of Norway she encourages members to become more active and to apply for medals they can win for miles walked or other activities. Driving and delivering Meals on Wheels in Spring Grove is another volunteer effort she continues to do twice a year for the church and Sons of Norway. It gives her pleasure to know that individuals who can’t leave their home have nutritious meals delivered to their door. She also checks up on these people to see that they are okay. At 88, she is the fortunate one who can do the delivering, instead of being home bound. Edith is very proud that one of her sons served in the Army in Germany, and for that reason she has been an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary. For the organization’s two annual rummage sales, she has worked ahead of time sorting and arranging the items brought in, and with set up. On the day of the sale, she helps with selling, as well as clean up afterwards. The community benefits by being able to purchase reasonable priced clothing and household items. “These last years, I’ve worked with the bake sale part of the rummage sale,” Edith pointed out. “I bring a lot of baked goods.” “I like gardening and have a lot of flowers, perennials and annuals. I haven’t had a garden in town because we built a garage where the garden was.” She is very knowledgeable about all kinds of flowers and continues to have one of the most beautiful yards in Spring Grove, her children proudly point out. Every year she makes sure flowers are placed on her parents and other people’s graves. Even though her kids have insisted she give up on mowing her own lawn, she still takes care of all the beautiful flowerbeds herself. Edith is a strong supporter of all the Spring Grove sports teams. She has attended many games in wind, snow, sleet, and heat, cheering on sons and grandsons and their friends. “I’ve been to all basketball and football games, home and away. I continue to go to football games. If it’s cold, I sit in the car and watch,” she reported, adding, “Sitting on bleachers bothers me now.” Family is very important to Edith. “I try to have the family here for Christmas and I remember everybody’s birthdays with a card and little bit of money,” she stated. “I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime,” Edith stated. “I was born in 1918, so went through the Depression years and lived with no electricity or running water.” She recalls that money was scarce on the farm. She sewed clothes, baked, raised a large garden and did canning. There was always a large flock of chickens that provided eggs and meat to eat, and eggs to sell. She also milked cows and did farm chores. During the 20 years her children were in 4-H she served as an adult and project leader. After the kids all left home, she was able to be active in many organizations and continues this tradition. “I help out with caring for my great grandchildren, and walk my grandson to school. I don’t watch much TV, but I like to read, and also enjoy doing embroidery as a pastime. I drive locally, but don’t like to go to La Crosse – people drive too fast,” she points out. Edith has six children, daughters Loretta Knutson, Linda Nerstad Kemp, Diane Nerstad, and Elizabeth Rowley, and sons Ronald and John, 19 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. “Mom is very proud of her 100 percent Norwegian heritage and has traveled to Norway twice. She is very interested in genealogy and can list her ancestors way back,” her children report. “Mom did a great job of raising her children, encouraging us to always honor our great Norwegian heritage.” They all echo the same sentiment about their mother. “If you stop at her house she will have coffee and cookies for you, no matter what time you stop, if you can find her home! She is a great hostess. To sum it up, we all think there is no lady in Spring Grove that is more worthy of the title “2006 Outstanding Senior Citizen” than our mom, Edith Nerstad.” By Jan Lee Buxengard Caledonia Argus