Gertie was born in McVille North Dakota. She was the first born child of Henry & Emma Stenson. During her young life she suffered the loss of 2 sister's & 1 brother. I think that affected her and made her seem somewhat distant at times. She met her husband, Magnus on a blind date set up by one of her friends in McVille. She told me that she had already seen Magnus around town but did not really know him until that date. The date led to marriage and later 2 sons. Her sister Ella ended up marrying Magnus's best friend,Sig. They made their home in McVille where she gave birth to their two sons, Duane & Merlyn. They ended up moving to California in the 30's and then to Nevada during the war. After the war they moved back to California where they remained for the rest of their lives. They opened a plumbing store, Mike's Plumbing and did well for themselves. Gertie loved to travel and went all around the world, England, Scotland, Ireland, Japan, China, Egypt, Norway(many times), Sweden & Holland were just a few of the places she traveled to.
Gertie was my Grandmother but when I was young we were not very close. She did not want to be called Grandma and instead we just called her Gertie. I was very close to my Grandfather but Gertie (Grandma) always seemed busy. She was either traveling, doing something with the Eastern Star or the Church. If I happened to be with my Grandfather on Sundays I would always see her at church. I remember Grandma had a big walk-in closet and when she was not home my Grandfather would let me go in it & try on her shoes & stuff. Grandma always seemed to dress perfect & have the fanciest dresses. But if I did not put everything back right in the closet both Grandpa & me would get a scolding. When my Grandfather passed away I really only saw my Grandma during the holidays. She would do the biggest Christmas & Easter family dinners. Always dressed to perfection, meals that must have taken weeks to prepare for.
When I was in my 30's I started getting closer to my Grandmother and somewhere along the way I even started to call her Grandma & she did not mind. She told me about her life how hard her parents worked when she was growing up. About her brother & sister's she had lost as a child. She talked a lot of her sister Hattie & how much she mourned her when she died. She also talked about my two cousins, her Granddaughters who had passed away young. They were her son's Merlyn's(my uncle) daughters. Peggy had died when she was only 3 years old (before I was born) and Kim died at 17 from cancer. I saw a side of my Grandmother that I had never seen & we became friends. She was a great Grandmother to my girls & they always knew how much she loved them. It was easy for her to say I love you to them, something she never did when I was young. When my father passed away & I had to tell my Grandmother we cried together. Grandmother was never quite the same after that. She still had her son Merlyn who she was extremely close to and he seldom missed a days visit with her but something was missing after that. My Grandmother lived to be 97 years old she stayed sharp all but the last couple weeks of her life. I know she is happy now reunited with Grandpa, her son and all those who went before.
It was hard to write about my Grandmother, she was a complicated woman. I don't want it to seem like she was cold, she just kept so much inside of her because of all the losses she had suffered in life. I am glad that I got to know my Grandma & just who she was. But I am most thankful for the fact that she was able to say I love you aloud to me for the last 10 years of her life.
Member of the Eastern Star & Sons of Norway.
Thank you Find A Grave member Sherri for sponsoring my Grandma Gertie's memorial. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
When my Grandmother passed I found amongst her things some old photo's. On the back of them she had written My Dear friend Katie Olson. One of them was of a flower laden coffin, that was dated 1929. My Grandmother had kept these memories of her friend for over 70 years. I know no more of Katie but if you have the time please visit her Memorial
Katie
Gertie was my Grandmother but when I was young we were not very close. She did not want to be called Grandma and instead we just called her Gertie. I was very close to my Grandfather but Gertie (Grandma) always seemed busy. She was either traveling, doing something with the Eastern Star or the Church. If I happened to be with my Grandfather on Sundays I would always see her at church. I remember Grandma had a big walk-in closet and when she was not home my Grandfather would let me go in it & try on her shoes & stuff. Grandma always seemed to dress perfect & have the fanciest dresses. But if I did not put everything back right in the closet both Grandpa & me would get a scolding. When my Grandfather passed away I really only saw my Grandma during the holidays. She would do the biggest Christmas & Easter family dinners. Always dressed to perfection, meals that must have taken weeks to prepare for.
When I was in my 30's I started getting closer to my Grandmother and somewhere along the way I even started to call her Grandma & she did not mind. She told me about her life how hard her parents worked when she was growing up. About her brother & sister's she had lost as a child. She talked a lot of her sister Hattie & how much she mourned her when she died. She also talked about my two cousins, her Granddaughters who had passed away young. They were her son's Merlyn's(my uncle) daughters. Peggy had died when she was only 3 years old (before I was born) and Kim died at 17 from cancer. I saw a side of my Grandmother that I had never seen & we became friends. She was a great Grandmother to my girls & they always knew how much she loved them. It was easy for her to say I love you to them, something she never did when I was young. When my father passed away & I had to tell my Grandmother we cried together. Grandmother was never quite the same after that. She still had her son Merlyn who she was extremely close to and he seldom missed a days visit with her but something was missing after that. My Grandmother lived to be 97 years old she stayed sharp all but the last couple weeks of her life. I know she is happy now reunited with Grandpa, her son and all those who went before.
It was hard to write about my Grandmother, she was a complicated woman. I don't want it to seem like she was cold, she just kept so much inside of her because of all the losses she had suffered in life. I am glad that I got to know my Grandma & just who she was. But I am most thankful for the fact that she was able to say I love you aloud to me for the last 10 years of her life.
Member of the Eastern Star & Sons of Norway.
Thank you Find A Grave member Sherri for sponsoring my Grandma Gertie's memorial. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
When my Grandmother passed I found amongst her things some old photo's. On the back of them she had written My Dear friend Katie Olson. One of them was of a flower laden coffin, that was dated 1929. My Grandmother had kept these memories of her friend for over 70 years. I know no more of Katie but if you have the time please visit her Memorial
Katie
Gertie was born in McVille North Dakota. She was the first born child of Henry & Emma Stenson. During her young life she suffered the loss of 2 sister's & 1 brother. I think that affected her and made her seem somewhat distant at times. She met her husband, Magnus on a blind date set up by one of her friends in McVille. She told me that she had already seen Magnus around town but did not really know him until that date. The date led to marriage and later 2 sons. Her sister Ella ended up marrying Magnus's best friend,Sig. They made their home in McVille where she gave birth to their two sons, Duane & Merlyn. They ended up moving to California in the 30's and then to Nevada during the war. After the war they moved back to California where they remained for the rest of their lives. They opened a plumbing store, Mike's Plumbing and did well for themselves. Gertie loved to travel and went all around the world, England, Scotland, Ireland, Japan, China, Egypt, Norway(many times), Sweden & Holland were just a few of the places she traveled to.
Gertie was my Grandmother but when I was young we were not very close. She did not want to be called Grandma and instead we just called her Gertie. I was very close to my Grandfather but Gertie (Grandma) always seemed busy. She was either traveling, doing something with the Eastern Star or the Church. If I happened to be with my Grandfather on Sundays I would always see her at church. I remember Grandma had a big walk-in closet and when she was not home my Grandfather would let me go in it & try on her shoes & stuff. Grandma always seemed to dress perfect & have the fanciest dresses. But if I did not put everything back right in the closet both Grandpa & me would get a scolding. When my Grandfather passed away I really only saw my Grandma during the holidays. She would do the biggest Christmas & Easter family dinners. Always dressed to perfection, meals that must have taken weeks to prepare for.
When I was in my 30's I started getting closer to my Grandmother and somewhere along the way I even started to call her Grandma & she did not mind. She told me about her life how hard her parents worked when she was growing up. About her brother & sister's she had lost as a child. She talked a lot of her sister Hattie & how much she mourned her when she died. She also talked about my two cousins, her Granddaughters who had passed away young. They were her son's Merlyn's(my uncle) daughters. Peggy had died when she was only 3 years old (before I was born) and Kim died at 17 from cancer. I saw a side of my Grandmother that I had never seen & we became friends. She was a great Grandmother to my girls & they always knew how much she loved them. It was easy for her to say I love you to them, something she never did when I was young. When my father passed away & I had to tell my Grandmother we cried together. Grandmother was never quite the same after that. She still had her son Merlyn who she was extremely close to and he seldom missed a days visit with her but something was missing after that. My Grandmother lived to be 97 years old she stayed sharp all but the last couple weeks of her life. I know she is happy now reunited with Grandpa, her son and all those who went before.
It was hard to write about my Grandmother, she was a complicated woman. I don't want it to seem like she was cold, she just kept so much inside of her because of all the losses she had suffered in life. I am glad that I got to know my Grandma & just who she was. But I am most thankful for the fact that she was able to say I love you aloud to me for the last 10 years of her life.
Member of the Eastern Star & Sons of Norway.
Thank you Find A Grave member Sherri for sponsoring my Grandma Gertie's memorial. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
When my Grandmother passed I found amongst her things some old photo's. On the back of them she had written My Dear friend Katie Olson. One of them was of a flower laden coffin, that was dated 1929. My Grandmother had kept these memories of her friend for over 70 years. I know no more of Katie but if you have the time please visit her Memorial
Katie
Gertie was my Grandmother but when I was young we were not very close. She did not want to be called Grandma and instead we just called her Gertie. I was very close to my Grandfather but Gertie (Grandma) always seemed busy. She was either traveling, doing something with the Eastern Star or the Church. If I happened to be with my Grandfather on Sundays I would always see her at church. I remember Grandma had a big walk-in closet and when she was not home my Grandfather would let me go in it & try on her shoes & stuff. Grandma always seemed to dress perfect & have the fanciest dresses. But if I did not put everything back right in the closet both Grandpa & me would get a scolding. When my Grandfather passed away I really only saw my Grandma during the holidays. She would do the biggest Christmas & Easter family dinners. Always dressed to perfection, meals that must have taken weeks to prepare for.
When I was in my 30's I started getting closer to my Grandmother and somewhere along the way I even started to call her Grandma & she did not mind. She told me about her life how hard her parents worked when she was growing up. About her brother & sister's she had lost as a child. She talked a lot of her sister Hattie & how much she mourned her when she died. She also talked about my two cousins, her Granddaughters who had passed away young. They were her son's Merlyn's(my uncle) daughters. Peggy had died when she was only 3 years old (before I was born) and Kim died at 17 from cancer. I saw a side of my Grandmother that I had never seen & we became friends. She was a great Grandmother to my girls & they always knew how much she loved them. It was easy for her to say I love you to them, something she never did when I was young. When my father passed away & I had to tell my Grandmother we cried together. Grandmother was never quite the same after that. She still had her son Merlyn who she was extremely close to and he seldom missed a days visit with her but something was missing after that. My Grandmother lived to be 97 years old she stayed sharp all but the last couple weeks of her life. I know she is happy now reunited with Grandpa, her son and all those who went before.
It was hard to write about my Grandmother, she was a complicated woman. I don't want it to seem like she was cold, she just kept so much inside of her because of all the losses she had suffered in life. I am glad that I got to know my Grandma & just who she was. But I am most thankful for the fact that she was able to say I love you aloud to me for the last 10 years of her life.
Member of the Eastern Star & Sons of Norway.
Thank you Find A Grave member Sherri for sponsoring my Grandma Gertie's memorial. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
When my Grandmother passed I found amongst her things some old photo's. On the back of them she had written My Dear friend Katie Olson. One of them was of a flower laden coffin, that was dated 1929. My Grandmother had kept these memories of her friend for over 70 years. I know no more of Katie but if you have the time please visit her Memorial
Katie
