1919
Illa
2006
Illa Strand
April 26, 1919 — March 9, 2006
Illa was born April 26, 1919 in Hammer, SD to parents Albert and Julia (Osteraas) Harstad. When Illa was five years old, the family moved to Claire City, SD where Illa was confirmed. She met Ralph Strand in Madison, MN and then followed him to North Dakota and soon after they were married in Ortonville on September 28, 1940. They were blessed with seven children, Sandy, Louise, Jane, Elaine, Dean, Kathy and Jeffrey. Illa and Ralph celebrated sixty-five wonderful years together.
Illa's interests were extremely varied, but always centered around family and friends. She was the originator of the Arctic Open in Clinton after seeing an article in a newspaper about people playing golf on ice, she even sewed the first tee flags. Illa enjoyed making plastic crafts, homemade lefse, a variety of baked goodies, and jelly. Her salt and pepper shaker collection surpassed the one thousand mark and she kept a special diary of where her special ones came from and who gave them to her. Illa liked to fish and was quite good, but always needed to have Ralph remove the fish from the hook for her. The family enjoyed spending a week together every summer at a lake near Avon, MN.
Illa passed away Thursday, March 9th, 2006 at the Grace Home in Graceville, MN. She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Julia; two sisters, Manty and Judith; and one brother, Albert Jr.
Illa is survived by her devoted husband, Ralph Strand of Graceville, MN; her seven children, Sandy (Kurt) Casper of Graceville, MN, Louise (Bob) Martig of Blue Earth, MN, Jane (Doyle) Stotesbery of Graceville, MN, Elaine (friend, Russ Scott) Strand of New London, MN, Dean (Karen) Strand of Ortonville, MN, Kathy (Marlin) Zahn of Odessa, MN, and Jeffrey L. (partner, Kim Wm. Jeppesen) Strand of Minneapolis, MN. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, Bill, Darren, and Tracy Casper, Gregg and Ben Martig, Christi Stotesbery, Kim Houser, Wendy Stotesbery, Jill Tolifson, Tyler "N." Strand, Shana Ulrich, Nick Strand, and Jason and Tristan Zahn; Seventeen great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Emily Casper, David Casper, Jake, Max and Kate Martig, Miles Martig, Kenedi Stotesbery, Noah Houser, Paige and Ellie Babb, Mitchell Kleindl, Maycee and Marshall Tolifson, Andrew and Jacob Ulrich, and Dylan Strand; one sister, Mabel Beistad of Moorhead, MN, one sister-in-law, Mary Lou Harstad of Sioux Falls, SD, as well as many more extended family members
Illa's interests were extremely varied, but always centered around family and friends. She was the originator of the Arctic Open in Clinton after seeing an article in a newspaper about people playing golf on ice, she even sewed the first tee flags. Illa enjoyed making plastic crafts, homemade lefse, a variety of baked goodies, and jelly. Her salt and pepper shaker collection surpassed the one thousand mark and she kept a special diary of where her special ones came from and who gave them to her. Illa liked to fish and was quite good, but always needed to have Ralph remove the fish from the hook for her. The family enjoyed spending a week together every summer at a lake near Avon, MN.
Illa passed away Thursday, March 9th, 2006 at the Grace Home in Graceville, MN. She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Julia; two sisters, Manty and Judith; and one brother, Albert Jr.
Illa is survived by her devoted husband, Ralph Strand of Graceville, MN; her seven children, Sandy (Kurt) Casper of Graceville, MN, Louise (Bob) Martig of Blue Earth, MN, Jane (Doyle) Stotesbery of Graceville, MN, Elaine (friend, Russ Scott) Strand of New London, MN, Dean (Karen) Strand of Ortonville, MN, Kathy (Marlin) Zahn of Odessa, MN, and Jeffrey L. (partner, Kim Wm. Jeppesen) Strand of Minneapolis, MN. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, Bill, Darren, and Tracy Casper, Gregg and Ben Martig, Christi Stotesbery, Kim Houser, Wendy Stotesbery, Jill Tolifson, Tyler "N." Strand, Shana Ulrich, Nick Strand, and Jason and Tristan Zahn; Seventeen great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Emily Casper, David Casper, Jake, Max and Kate Martig, Miles Martig, Kenedi Stotesbery, Noah Houser, Paige and Ellie Babb, Mitchell Kleindl, Maycee and Marshall Tolifson, Andrew and Jacob Ulrich, and Dylan Strand; one sister, Mabel Beistad of Moorhead, MN, one sister-in-law, Mary Lou Harstad of Sioux Falls, SD, as well as many more extended family members