Helen I. Stigen, 82, of Fergus Falls, died Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, at Lake Region Hospital, Fergus Falls.
She was born Sept. 15, 1924, in Urness Township of Douglas County near Brandon. She was one of 12 daughters born to Alfred and Hannah (Firsti) Aho. She was baptized and confirmed in the Finnish Church and attended school at District 45 in Douglas County.
While attending high school in Alexandria she worked for her room and board at the Rudolph Swore residence and also for four years at Osterberg Café starting in 1943. Although her education had previously been interrupted to care for her mother, she graduated from Alexandria High School in 1944.
On Sept. 6, 1944, she was united in marriage to Ivan W. Stigen at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. The couple resided in Alexandria and in 1947 they moved to Fergus Falls where they managed the Skyline Café. In 1953, Helen also worked at the Normandy Café.
In 1954 they built the Ranch House Restaurant which they owned and operated. Ivan died May 26, 1968, and Helen continued to operate the business until 1970. In 1971 she started working at the Big Chief Café where she worked in various positions until 1998. She also cared for a special friend, Harley Stout, for four years until his death on April 16, 1994.
Helen was a member of First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, the Eagle's Auxiliary Post 2339 where she was a past president and the Quota Club where she was a past member. She also served on the Camp Fire board and was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader. She was also a member and former president of the Town and Country Saddle Club and was a United Fund board member. Her hobbies included cooking, sewing and entertaining family and friends.
She is survived by six children: David (Noreen) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Doris (John) Kraemer of Eagen, Douglas (Becky) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Duane (Connie) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Diana (Rick) Fuder of Battle Lake and Darlene (John) Mandelke of Dalton; 17 grandchildren: Jeremy (Sarah) Stigen, Laurissa (J.T. McGinnis) Stigen, Sethrena Stigen, Christie (Stuart) Fleischauer, Michael Kraemer, Matthew Kraemer, Stacy (Sander) Habraken, Jason (Jo) Stigen, Nicholas Carr, Thomas Carr, Ian Carr, Tyler Stigen, Jamie Stigen, Brian (Mindy) Fuder, Kari Fuder, Amy Mandelke and Lisa Mandelke; seven great-grandchildren: Sam, Elsa Mae, Charlie, Drake, Gibson, Kaley and Ethan; one son-in-law, Alan Carr of Eugene, Ore.; two sisters: Mayme (Lloyd) Hokanson of Evansville and Signe Krafthefer of Alexandria; a sister-in-law: Alvina Shaw of Henning; Ivan's nephew, Mike Shaw of Burnsville, who lived with Ivan and Helen while attending college; Harley's children, Gary (Lisa) of Stoughton, Wis., Randy Stout and Susan Stout, both of Texas, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter Donna Carr; an infant grandson, John Ivan Stigen; three siblings in infancy; six sisters: Esther Brewer, Martha Reher, Lillian Dulban, Olga Anderson, Aune Thornton and Senja Bine; 10 brothers-in-law: Charles Bine, Frank Dulban, Oscar Anderson, Edward Brewer, Ford Thornton, Robert Krafthefer , Orin Stigen, Jeff Stigen, Marvin Stigen and Kenneth Stigen.
Memorials are preferred to the Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation, First Lutheran Cemetery or American Cancer Society.
Visitation: Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to service at the church
Service: 2 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls
Clergy: Rev. Saul Stensvaag
Burial: First Lutheran North Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Funeral home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.glendenilson.com
She was born Sept. 15, 1924, in Urness Township of Douglas County near Brandon. She was one of 12 daughters born to Alfred and Hannah (Firsti) Aho. She was baptized and confirmed in the Finnish Church and attended school at District 45 in Douglas County.
While attending high school in Alexandria she worked for her room and board at the Rudolph Swore residence and also for four years at Osterberg Café starting in 1943. Although her education had previously been interrupted to care for her mother, she graduated from Alexandria High School in 1944.
On Sept. 6, 1944, she was united in marriage to Ivan W. Stigen at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. The couple resided in Alexandria and in 1947 they moved to Fergus Falls where they managed the Skyline Café. In 1953, Helen also worked at the Normandy Café.
In 1954 they built the Ranch House Restaurant which they owned and operated. Ivan died May 26, 1968, and Helen continued to operate the business until 1970. In 1971 she started working at the Big Chief Café where she worked in various positions until 1998. She also cared for a special friend, Harley Stout, for four years until his death on April 16, 1994.
Helen was a member of First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, the Eagle's Auxiliary Post 2339 where she was a past president and the Quota Club where she was a past member. She also served on the Camp Fire board and was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader. She was also a member and former president of the Town and Country Saddle Club and was a United Fund board member. Her hobbies included cooking, sewing and entertaining family and friends.
She is survived by six children: David (Noreen) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Doris (John) Kraemer of Eagen, Douglas (Becky) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Duane (Connie) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Diana (Rick) Fuder of Battle Lake and Darlene (John) Mandelke of Dalton; 17 grandchildren: Jeremy (Sarah) Stigen, Laurissa (J.T. McGinnis) Stigen, Sethrena Stigen, Christie (Stuart) Fleischauer, Michael Kraemer, Matthew Kraemer, Stacy (Sander) Habraken, Jason (Jo) Stigen, Nicholas Carr, Thomas Carr, Ian Carr, Tyler Stigen, Jamie Stigen, Brian (Mindy) Fuder, Kari Fuder, Amy Mandelke and Lisa Mandelke; seven great-grandchildren: Sam, Elsa Mae, Charlie, Drake, Gibson, Kaley and Ethan; one son-in-law, Alan Carr of Eugene, Ore.; two sisters: Mayme (Lloyd) Hokanson of Evansville and Signe Krafthefer of Alexandria; a sister-in-law: Alvina Shaw of Henning; Ivan's nephew, Mike Shaw of Burnsville, who lived with Ivan and Helen while attending college; Harley's children, Gary (Lisa) of Stoughton, Wis., Randy Stout and Susan Stout, both of Texas, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter Donna Carr; an infant grandson, John Ivan Stigen; three siblings in infancy; six sisters: Esther Brewer, Martha Reher, Lillian Dulban, Olga Anderson, Aune Thornton and Senja Bine; 10 brothers-in-law: Charles Bine, Frank Dulban, Oscar Anderson, Edward Brewer, Ford Thornton, Robert Krafthefer , Orin Stigen, Jeff Stigen, Marvin Stigen and Kenneth Stigen.
Memorials are preferred to the Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation, First Lutheran Cemetery or American Cancer Society.
Visitation: Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to service at the church
Service: 2 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls
Clergy: Rev. Saul Stensvaag
Burial: First Lutheran North Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Funeral home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.glendenilson.com
Helen I. Stigen, 82, of Fergus Falls, died Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, at Lake Region Hospital, Fergus Falls.
She was born Sept. 15, 1924, in Urness Township of Douglas County near Brandon. She was one of 12 daughters born to Alfred and Hannah (Firsti) Aho. She was baptized and confirmed in the Finnish Church and attended school at District 45 in Douglas County.
While attending high school in Alexandria she worked for her room and board at the Rudolph Swore residence and also for four years at Osterberg Café starting in 1943. Although her education had previously been interrupted to care for her mother, she graduated from Alexandria High School in 1944.
On Sept. 6, 1944, she was united in marriage to Ivan W. Stigen at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. The couple resided in Alexandria and in 1947 they moved to Fergus Falls where they managed the Skyline Café. In 1953, Helen also worked at the Normandy Café.
In 1954 they built the Ranch House Restaurant which they owned and operated. Ivan died May 26, 1968, and Helen continued to operate the business until 1970. In 1971 she started working at the Big Chief Café where she worked in various positions until 1998. She also cared for a special friend, Harley Stout, for four years until his death on April 16, 1994.
Helen was a member of First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, the Eagle's Auxiliary Post 2339 where she was a past president and the Quota Club where she was a past member. She also served on the Camp Fire board and was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader. She was also a member and former president of the Town and Country Saddle Club and was a United Fund board member. Her hobbies included cooking, sewing and entertaining family and friends.
She is survived by six children: David (Noreen) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Doris (John) Kraemer of Eagen, Douglas (Becky) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Duane (Connie) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Diana (Rick) Fuder of Battle Lake and Darlene (John) Mandelke of Dalton; 17 grandchildren: Jeremy (Sarah) Stigen, Laurissa (J.T. McGinnis) Stigen, Sethrena Stigen, Christie (Stuart) Fleischauer, Michael Kraemer, Matthew Kraemer, Stacy (Sander) Habraken, Jason (Jo) Stigen, Nicholas Carr, Thomas Carr, Ian Carr, Tyler Stigen, Jamie Stigen, Brian (Mindy) Fuder, Kari Fuder, Amy Mandelke and Lisa Mandelke; seven great-grandchildren: Sam, Elsa Mae, Charlie, Drake, Gibson, Kaley and Ethan; one son-in-law, Alan Carr of Eugene, Ore.; two sisters: Mayme (Lloyd) Hokanson of Evansville and Signe Krafthefer of Alexandria; a sister-in-law: Alvina Shaw of Henning; Ivan's nephew, Mike Shaw of Burnsville, who lived with Ivan and Helen while attending college; Harley's children, Gary (Lisa) of Stoughton, Wis., Randy Stout and Susan Stout, both of Texas, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter Donna Carr; an infant grandson, John Ivan Stigen; three siblings in infancy; six sisters: Esther Brewer, Martha Reher, Lillian Dulban, Olga Anderson, Aune Thornton and Senja Bine; 10 brothers-in-law: Charles Bine, Frank Dulban, Oscar Anderson, Edward Brewer, Ford Thornton, Robert Krafthefer , Orin Stigen, Jeff Stigen, Marvin Stigen and Kenneth Stigen.
Memorials are preferred to the Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation, First Lutheran Cemetery or American Cancer Society.
Visitation: Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to service at the church
Service: 2 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls
Clergy: Rev. Saul Stensvaag
Burial: First Lutheran North Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Funeral home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.glendenilson.com
She was born Sept. 15, 1924, in Urness Township of Douglas County near Brandon. She was one of 12 daughters born to Alfred and Hannah (Firsti) Aho. She was baptized and confirmed in the Finnish Church and attended school at District 45 in Douglas County.
While attending high school in Alexandria she worked for her room and board at the Rudolph Swore residence and also for four years at Osterberg Café starting in 1943. Although her education had previously been interrupted to care for her mother, she graduated from Alexandria High School in 1944.
On Sept. 6, 1944, she was united in marriage to Ivan W. Stigen at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. The couple resided in Alexandria and in 1947 they moved to Fergus Falls where they managed the Skyline Café. In 1953, Helen also worked at the Normandy Café.
In 1954 they built the Ranch House Restaurant which they owned and operated. Ivan died May 26, 1968, and Helen continued to operate the business until 1970. In 1971 she started working at the Big Chief Café where she worked in various positions until 1998. She also cared for a special friend, Harley Stout, for four years until his death on April 16, 1994.
Helen was a member of First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, the Eagle's Auxiliary Post 2339 where she was a past president and the Quota Club where she was a past member. She also served on the Camp Fire board and was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader. She was also a member and former president of the Town and Country Saddle Club and was a United Fund board member. Her hobbies included cooking, sewing and entertaining family and friends.
She is survived by six children: David (Noreen) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Doris (John) Kraemer of Eagen, Douglas (Becky) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Duane (Connie) Stigen of Fergus Falls, Diana (Rick) Fuder of Battle Lake and Darlene (John) Mandelke of Dalton; 17 grandchildren: Jeremy (Sarah) Stigen, Laurissa (J.T. McGinnis) Stigen, Sethrena Stigen, Christie (Stuart) Fleischauer, Michael Kraemer, Matthew Kraemer, Stacy (Sander) Habraken, Jason (Jo) Stigen, Nicholas Carr, Thomas Carr, Ian Carr, Tyler Stigen, Jamie Stigen, Brian (Mindy) Fuder, Kari Fuder, Amy Mandelke and Lisa Mandelke; seven great-grandchildren: Sam, Elsa Mae, Charlie, Drake, Gibson, Kaley and Ethan; one son-in-law, Alan Carr of Eugene, Ore.; two sisters: Mayme (Lloyd) Hokanson of Evansville and Signe Krafthefer of Alexandria; a sister-in-law: Alvina Shaw of Henning; Ivan's nephew, Mike Shaw of Burnsville, who lived with Ivan and Helen while attending college; Harley's children, Gary (Lisa) of Stoughton, Wis., Randy Stout and Susan Stout, both of Texas, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter Donna Carr; an infant grandson, John Ivan Stigen; three siblings in infancy; six sisters: Esther Brewer, Martha Reher, Lillian Dulban, Olga Anderson, Aune Thornton and Senja Bine; 10 brothers-in-law: Charles Bine, Frank Dulban, Oscar Anderson, Edward Brewer, Ford Thornton, Robert Krafthefer , Orin Stigen, Jeff Stigen, Marvin Stigen and Kenneth Stigen.
Memorials are preferred to the Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation, First Lutheran Cemetery or American Cancer Society.
Visitation: Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior to service at the church
Service: 2 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls
Clergy: Rev. Saul Stensvaag
Burial: First Lutheran North Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Funeral home: Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls
Condolences: www.glendenilson.com
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