Stylin' with his Mom

Zachary gladly accepted the trench coat, but decided his uncle's fedora was a bit over the top.
Our California house guests, Sister Sosie and her son Zach, knew what they were getting into this weekend, so they came prepared for the bitter cold. Even so, Zach gladly accepted Stan's trench coat to wear at the cemetery. Stan wanted to add a hat to the ensemble, but Zach politely demurred, claiming it was too small. But as they departed Monday, Stan got Zach to try on his lid for this parting shot.
Now is that a good look for him or what?

A Birthday and a Yeast Infection. . .

It was a big day for Birdie. She's six years old today and has been acting a bit funny. A trip to the vet this afternoon revealed some trouble in her right ear, a yeast infection. The clinic cleaned it up and prescribed medication. She's looking for her birthday treat now.

Genuine Church Ladies at Work

Honest-to-goodness Lutheran Church Ladies made sandwiches and salads for Saturday's Funeral lunch, presenting a table top of ham-in-buns as well as a colorful assortment of bowls filled with a variety of homemade salads beside trays of mixed dessert bars. At least a dozen homemade specialities were put out, but, despite the stereotype for traditional church basement offerings. . . there was no red or green jello.

It is not about the food, of course, but their personal contributions did make for a comforting and familiar-feeling afternoon with family and friends.
Beverly Rolfsrud helped form Shalom Lutheran in 1982 and served its music ministry. These ladies remember her fondly and made their feelings known with kind words. . . and their hand-made comfort food.

Among those enjoying the lunch and fellowship was Beverly's nephew, Harold Rolfsrud from Keene, North Dakota (far right). He drove to Alexandria to honor the last of her generation of Rolfsrud/Brown aunts and uncles. He brought pictures of his summer visit with Rolfsrud relatives in Norway and shared them with his cousin Solveig Shearer, and her son, Zachary, above. Harold is the patriarch of the Rolfsrud Ranch in western North Dakota, claimed from raw prairie land and settled by our Norwegian immigrant grandparents Nils and Rebecca in 1904. The greatly-expanded acreage is still farmed by extended family members --- including Harold, who, though retired, can't seem to stay off the tractor.

Carrying Grandma home. . .

Aaron, Steve, Zachary, Alex, Ford, Hunter, Adam

Six grandsons and a great grandson carried their grandmother's casket today. Beverly Rolfsrud was buried at Trysil Cemetery in Farwell, Minnesota next to her husband, Erling, bringing to a close a special day of remembrance and visitation at the Shalom Lutheran Church in Alexandria.

Rest in Peace, Mom.

They cared for her

Photos by Jill Littlefield

A sting ray dives at Mom during an outing at the Mall of America aquarium.

We took our time at the house on Kell Avenue in Bloomington today. We were there to gather up some of Mother's things, but mostly we wanted to just sit and thank and visit the people who had made "Welcome Home" a special place for Mom for two and a half years.

Exercise class was interrupted by Nicky the house dog.

We tried to express our gratitude for the kindness and generous spirit that made mother's last days as comfortable and fulfilled as any others during her 94 years of productive, meaningful life.
Marcia and Jill were there today, as they have been since Day One. When mother arrived in the fall of 2012, Jill helped her from the car and said "Hello, my name is Jill. I will be taking care of you." And that is exactly what she and the others have done ever since.

Pink hats for a backyard BBQ
Click to enlarge and find Mom.

Jill and Marcia lead a team of a dozen aides, providing round the clock care to three, sometimes four residents in the 50s ranch-style house. They grieved along with us today. We said we were sad for Mom to go, happy for the way she left. And they were responsible for so much of that.
Marcia poured coffee and passed around some homemade oatmeal raisin cookies as we reminisced. They lovingly called "Bevy" "The Queen of Kell" and not just because she was the very first resident at this fledgling operation, run by an established home care outfit.
Mom has always known what she wants, and isn't afraid to ask for it. She got it all at Kell, delicious food, a pillow where she needed it, hair care, manicures, homemade birthday cakes and never-ending concerns about all her personal needs.
We're very grateful, felt blessed, and so did Mom. Many times recently she didn't hold back her feelings, looked her caregiver in the eye and stated clearly, "I love you." They loved her back and they feel the same kind of loss that we do, as we clear her room and think about life without her.

Fourth of July

We told them about the time two weeks ago when the hospice music therapist called us in Arizona. We were in the car. "Your mother would like to sing for you," she said over the speakerphone. And then as we drove down McDowell Avenue in Scottsdale, Mother sang us the clearest, sweetest rendition of "His Eye is on The Sparrow," that we think we have ever heard.
Jill carries photos from the many merry outings Mom and the others took. We include some of them here, all of them show Mom having a good time with friends.
Makes us happy to remember her that way.

Mom grew very close to Lillian. Here they are at the Rainforest.

My Heart Ever Faithful. . .

Photo take at Welcome Home residence by Cher Kuechle. (Note the family picture on the wall.)

Click here to hear Beverly Rolfsrud sing "My Heart Ever Faithful" on YouTube. She's had 18,092 hits so far. YouTube lasts forever and so will our memories of Mom's singing. See more of her tunes listed below right, under "Our Home Movies."
Scroll down to see the obituary notice and funeral details that were posted earlier.

Always remember what is important in life

"Is that for here or to go?" the cheerful clerk at the spic 'n span McDonald's in Guymon, Oklahoma asked Stan.
Traveling diagonally across the Great Plains, there are no rest areas, most establishments are questionable, so we find the Golden Arches a reliable friend with their clean rest rooms and sometimes even grassy areas for Birdie.
"Make it to go, she's outside with the dog," Stan responded.
"What kind of dog do you have," the more mature than usual gentleman clerk asked.
"A poodle. She's on her way back to Minnesota."
The clerk seemed interested so Stan continued:
"Yeah, we've been staying in Phoenix, and Super Bowl week was just getting started. We were having a lot of fun doing stuff, but my dear mother died and we are going back to Minnesota. The funeral is on Saturday so now we're driving across country, and hope to be there by Wednesday night. She died yesterday morning."
A nice young man waiting in a line beside Stan had overheard the conversation and now joined in:
"What," he asked earnestly, "are you doing with your Super Bowl tickets?"

Portrait of Beverly Rolfsrud

This article about Beverly Rolfsrud appeared in her hometown paper in 1973

Portrait of the Week,
Park Region Echo, Alexandria, MN
January 2, 1973
By Magel Brekke
Appreciation of music is perhaps one of the most stimulating ways in which to begin the New Year. In pondering upon resolutions to be made, one recalls a statement once made by Lord Erskine; "Music is the only language in which you cannot say a mean or sarcastic thing." No season of the year brings music into greater prevalence than the season past with its beautiful Christmas hymns. In relating them to the beginning of a New Year, Beverly Rolfsrud referred to the hymns as the 'heralding of beginnings,' alluding especially to the words of the aria from the Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach which states; "Prepare Thyself, Zion, with tender affection the purest, the fairest, this day to receive." It certainly is a theme and a resolution to live by as the New Year begins.

Beverly (Mrs. Erling) Rolfsrud stated that music is at the threshold of her memory. A daughter of Paul Brown, a pioneer of Adams County, North Dakota, she and her two sisters and three brothers were familiarized with music from their father who had been an entertainer in France during World War I under the auspices of the YMCA, then a counterpart of the USO of today. Although her mother never sang, she had a beautiful low contralto speaking voice, one similar to the lovely voice Mrs. Rolfsrud has developed in her vocal talents of today. Beverly, as a young child, appeared frequently on WDAY radio with her father as they produced a program of sacred and folk songs; she also played clarinet and banjo. "If doing is knowing," she said, "I knew right then that music was going to be my life."
Following Beverly's graduation from Central High School in Fargo, North Dakota, she attended Wheaton College during the years in which Billy Graham was also a student there. She recalled his carrying heavy trays in the dining hall and his quality of being service-minded, even then being able to work with all types of people.   Beverly earned her bachelor of arts degree from Concordia College, majoring in voice, but also studying clarinet, organ and piano. She was a second semester junior at the time of her marriage to Mr. Erling Rolfsrud.

The Rolfsruds resided in northern Minnesota previous to their move to Alexandria. Five of their children were born during those years. Becky (Mrs. Allen Jerdee,) resides in St. Paul with her 5-year old daughter, Amy, and her husband, a pastor at St. Stephen's Church in St. Paul. Linda (Mrs. Ronald Letnes,) and her husband, a pastor of St. Matthew's Church, reside in Aurora, Colorado. Stanley Rolfsrud is news editor for the Carver County Sun and resides in Chanhassen. Solveig (Mrs. William Shearer) and her husband live in Baltimore, Maryland. Stephen Rolfsrud will soon graduate from the University of Minnesota with a major in education. Virgil, the only Rolfsrud child born in Alexandria, is presently in business administration at Moorhead State College. The Rolfsrud children who have completed their college degrees have continued in the field of work for which they were prepared. 
Mrs. Rolfsrud, while an active homemaker, has taught private vocal and piano lessons since before moving to Alexandria. She came to this area as an experienced choral conductor and has, from time to time, directed choirs at First Lutheran Church. In that church, also, she has taken and taught the Bethel series as well as serving as an instructor in the church's weekday educational program. Her husband has served for many years as organist of that church. Mr. Rolfsrud teaches 9th grade English at Central High School and has authored about 20 books which relate to history, biography and devotional material.

Junior Euterpean Club was organized in Alexandria in the early 1960s largely through the efforts of Mrs. Rolfsrud who has always been active in Euterpean Club. Her beautiful voice has been heard on many occasions as she has presented programs throughout the community. In 1965 Mrs. Rolfsrud was honored with acceptance into the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Mrs. Rolfsrud had updated her teaching certificate and was working towards her master's degree when, in 1969, an opportunity was offered to teach music in the schools of Brooten, Minnesota. Thirty-five years ago she had thought she wanted to teach and the experience today has fulfilled her every expectation. "There are 'Golden Moments' in every single day," she stated. She is a music specialist teaching first grade through senior high. She also teaches music to the special education class, the group whose evident approval makes each day worthwhile. "Every person in the world makes music at some time or other, " stated Mrs. Rolfsrud. Working with various degrees of talent in her capacity as teacher, she tries to challenge to the utmost the efforts of each child as she instructs them in coordination, harmony, melody and rhythm.
A great variety of interests are assumed in the busy days of Mrs. Rolfsrud and, odd though it may seem, all begin with the letter "s." There is singing, swimming, sewing, snow, study and "Segovia." Two years ago she began the study of the guitar. She now teaches twenty students who are required also to sing as they learn to play the instrument. In her sewing, Mrs. Rolfsrud recently completed two 12-foot banners which were used at First Lutheran Church and for the two Christmas concerts which she presented with her students in Brooten.
Music in this New Year has indeed been a 'heralding of beginnings' for Beverly Rolfsrud. Devoted to her family and her work, she frequently refers to one certain passage from the Bible: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning." The inspiring message of faith (quoted from Lamentations) with daily introduction to beautiful music serve as a complete theme for a great and Happy New Year.  

Beverly Rolfsrud 1920-2015

Beverly Brown Rolfsrud, 94, musician, teacher, wife and mother of six, died peacefully January 26, 2015 at a residential home in Bloomington, Minnesota, near her family. Funeral services will be held Jan. 31 at Shalom Lutheran in Alexandria, a church she helped found in 1982.

With her late husband as accompanist, the accomplished contralto soloist performed Sacred Concerts throughout the Upper Midwest. In 1967, she recorded an album of sacred music with selections from Handel's Messiah and other composers.

Over the years, she taught hundreds of young adults the rudiments of music and the joy of performing.

Born in Hettinger, North Dakota in 1920, she graduated high school in Fargo, attended Wheaton College in Illinois, then joined her husband in Moorhead where she was the first married woman to graduate from Concordia College. They moved to Deerwood in 1945 and she gave private music lessons and continued raising her children. In 1952, the Rolfsruds  moved to Alexandria near Lake Andrew and Beverly continued to teach music and lead church choirs. She briefly taught music in the Brooten, Minnesota schools. She enjoyed quilting, cross-country skiing, tennis and swimming.

Beverly is survived by her six children: Becky (Allen) Jerdee, Venice, FL, Linda (Ronald) Letnes, Blaine, MN, Stan (Kathleen) Rolfsrud, Shakopee, MN, Solveig (William) Shearer, Sunol, CA, Stephen (Nancy) Rolfsrud, Mankato MN, and Virgil Rolfsrud, Fort Meyers, FL; 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband Erling, she was preceded in death by her daughters-in-law Jeni (Virgil) Rolfsrud and Becky Lynn (Virgil) Rolfsrud, brothers Ralph Brown, Richard Brown, and Bayard Brown, and sisters Dorothy Chase and Kaye Eichenberger.

Outside her home in Alexandria