-- From The Helgeson Funeral Home website and The Alaska Dispatch News, 08/09/2016:

Funeral services for Dagrun Brotherston of Olympia, Washington and formerly of Badger, MN will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 10:30 AM at Faith Lutheran Church south of Badger, MN.

Dagrun Brotherston, age 87, of Olympia, WA died peacefully on Saturday, July 30th, 2016 at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

Above all else, she was proud of her Norwegian heritage and felt that any day spent with family was the best kind of day.

Dagrun was born on June 13, 1929 at Isane, Nordfjord, Norway to Sigurd and Anna (Hetle) Isane. She was raised there with her five siblings, and enjoyed farm life on the fjord. She was proud of helping Sigurd run their water-powered sawmill, but didn’t enjoy the uncertain times during the German occupation of Norway in WWII.

After graduating from high school, she taught briefly at the school in Isane.

The entire family, except sister Oddlaug, immigrated to America in 1950. Dagrun loved telling about their Atlantic crossing, especially the nightly dancing, fine food, and her first sight of the Statue of Liberty. The family settled near Badger, MN, where she met Willard Brotherston.

They were married in 1953, and together raised four children. In 1964, they moved from Rapid City, SD to Anchorage, AK so Willard could pursue better opportunities in the construction industry.

Although Dagrun missed being near her relatives, she loved the scenic grandeur of Alaska and became an avid salmon fisherman. She was primarily a homemaker, but always felt compelled to “do a little business”.

She enjoyed knitting and selling Alaskan and Norwegian sweaters (and later felted hats and pewter earrings). Her sister Marta and she shared a booth at Hostfest in Minot, ND for many years, where they were proud to have received an award for Outstanding Workmanship.

She was a lifelong member of the Sons of Norway.

Dagrun and Willard moved to Olympia, WA in 1987 to enjoy milder winters and live near the first of their four grandchildren. She traveled frequently to Minnesota, Norway and back to Anchorage, with more than a few trips to Las Vegas because “it was easy to catch up with all the other relatives who were visiting there”.

Dagrun deeply loved both her extended and immediate family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was committed to her faith, and was an active church member wherever she lived. Despite struggling with dementia during her last several years, she remained cheerful and kind, and loved seeing visitors.

Dagrun is survived by her four children: Arlys Brotherston of Los Angeles, CA, Karen (Jon) Rivenburg of West Linn, OR, Stuart (Ruth) Brotherston of Tumwater, WA, and Janet (Glenn) Bunker of Anchorage, AK; three grandchildren: Ellen (Kyle) Aronson, Alex (Caitlin) Brotherston, and Matthew Bunker; two great-grandchildren: Linnea and Connor Aronson; in-laws Dorothy Nelson, Marlene Isane and Betsey Isane; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Willard, siblings Marta Heggedal, Oddlaug Isene, Olav Isane, Ragnhild Herset, and Arne Isane, and grandson Zachary Bunker.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, August 13th at Faith Lutheran Church near Badger, MN at 10:30 A.M. with Pastor Mark Mathews officiating. Interment will be at the Nannestad Cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by the Helgeson Funeral Home of Roseau, MN. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (Olympia, WA) or Faith Lutheran Church (Badger, MN).