Lewis Brusletten
| Date of Interment or Death | 06/05/1933 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | C |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 5-3-1s |
Obituary
Funeral Services Held Monday for L. L. Brusletten
Well Known Resident Of Wahpeton Dies at Home Friday After Long Illness
Was Concordia Trustee for More than 40 Years
Friends from Over County Gather to Pay Last Tribute at Services Today
Friends from all parts of Richland County gathered at Bethel Lutheran church today (Monday) to pay their last respects to L. L. Brusletten, Richland County resident since 1884, who died at his home on North Sixth Street early Friday morning.
Twice representing the county in the state legislature, serving for more than forty years on the Board of Trustees of Concordia College at Moorhead, member of Richland County Lutheran churches for nearly a half a century for over forty years’ secretary and treasurer of the Home Mutual Insurance Company. Mr. Brusletten was known and respected by practically every resident of the county.
Death occurred at 2:35 a.m. Friday morning and followed an extended illness which had forced him to retire from church and business activities last fall.
Lewis L. Brusletten was born in Hallingdahl, Norway, June 7, 1857 and at the age of one year came with his parents to Goodhue county, Minnesota. He remained in that community receiving his early education in the public schools at Kenyon, going from there to Faribault, then on to St. Olaf college, Northfield.
He was confirmed in the Lutheran faith June 2, 1872, his death occurring exactly 6 years later. In 1882 he came to Grand Forks County, North Dakota where he stayed a short time after which he came to Richland County.
On October 17, 1882 he was united in marriage to Isabel Woldy at Minneapolis. They removed to Day County, South Dakota, moving back to Richland County in 1884 where they purchased a farm on the Wild Rice river six miles northwest of Wahpeton, they made this their home for some 26 years. Mr. and Mrs. Brusletten adopted two children, Mrs. Inga Magnussen and Edwin Saxhaug.
For a number of years Mr. Brusletten worked in the County Treasurer’s office and also taught school besides looking after his farming interests. In 1891 he became secretary and treasurer of the Home Mutual Insurance Company of Richland County, holding this office until December, 1932.
He served two terms as a representative in the legislature at Bismarck, representing the 12th district. He also held a number of local and township offices.
He was a member of the Wild Rice Lutheran church at Dwight until 1911 when the family moved to Wahpeton, where he became a member of the Bethel Lutheran church serving as treasurer of the church and Sunday School teachers until last fall when his health forced him to give up his duties. He served on the Board of Trustees of Concordia College, Moorhead for over forty years.
Besides the two foster children, he leaves three grandchildren Lucille and Mildred Magnussen and Kenneth Saxhaug, two sisters, Mrs. Betsy Anderson, Fargo and Mrs. H.K. Benson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., two brothers, Syver Brusletten, of Kenyon, Minn., and Ole Brusletten of Polson, Mont., one sister and three brothers have preceded him in death.
Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at Bethel Lutheran church, Rev. Wisnaes officiating assisted by Dr. Brown of Concordia College and Rev. S. C. B. Knutson of Dwight.
Honorary pallbearers were Ole I. Moen, Pete Bolme, P.R. Thue, Paul Meyer, Andew Sionson and Magnus Olson. Active pallbearers were Olaf Tew, Peter Anderson, Albert Erickson, R. R. Hausken, Jolin Halvorson and W. C. Bohn.
Music at the service consisted of two hymns by a quartet composed of Mrs. Howard Pul, Mrs. J. Meyer Johnson, A. N. Paulsrud and J. Meyer Johnson. They sang, “When I Go Home” and “Asleep in Jesus.” Mr. and Mrs. J. Meyer Johnson sang as a duet, “I’m a Pilgrim.”
Many who gathered at the service had attended school under Mr. Brusletten or had been taught in Sunday School by him. All paid tribute to his sterling character. He was a friend of everyone in trouble, a guide to the youth of the community and an active participant in community activities.
Burial was in Fairview cemetery beside his wife who died in 1930.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.