Rock County Obituaries
Aaker-Aanenson
Funeral services were held at Bryant SD Saturday for Anton Aaker, long time farmer of that community, and a former resident of Rock county. Mr. Aaker farmed with his brother in Beaver Creek township before moving to South Dakota about fifty years ago.
He is survived by his wife, one son, Irving, of Bryant, a sister, Mrs James Bjerk, Luverne, and two brothers, Ed, of Rock Rapids and Martin, of Hills.
Attending the funeral from the area were Mr and Mrs Marvin Aaker, Mrs James Bjerk and Irid Bjerk, Luverne, Oscar Aaker of Worthington, Mrs Art Hulbert, Beaver Creek, Mrs Martin Aaker, Hills; Mr and Mrs Holden Edmundson, Mr and Mrs Elmer Gunderson, Mrs Orlen Hove, and Dennis Hove of Garretson, Grand Gunderson and Mr and Mrs Russell Aaker, Valley Springs.
Dec 17, 1964
Newspaper Unknown
Edward Aaker, 94, died August 29 at the Rock Rapids Hospital following a brief illness.
Funeral services were held at the Palisade Lutheran Church Aug 3, with the Rev. Robert Dovenmuehler (Sp?) officiating. Funeral arrangements were made by Engebretson Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Irving, Marvin, Russell and Oscar Aaker, Palmer Williamson and Sidney Blins??e.
Burial was at Palisade Lutheran cemetery. Mr. Aaker was born January 19,1879 in Sundalsora, Norway. He attended elementary school in Norway.
In 1893 he came to America and in 1895 he settled in Rock county where he farmed. He married Minnie Hoven in Hills on July 3, 1908.
He lived two years at Canby and lived in the Hills, Beaver Creek, Garretson, and Larchwood communities.
Survivors include one grandchild, Gary DeReu, Sioux Falls, and one sister, Mrs James Bjerk, Luverne.
He was preceded in death by his wife, their two children, Iver and Helma, two sisters and two brothers.
September 4, 1973
Star Herald
Funeral services were held Saturday at the Palisade Lutheran church in Beaver Creek township for Irvin L Aaker, 74, lifelong resident of Rock county and retired Springwater township farmer. The Rev. Paul Rogers, pastor, and Rev. Samuel Carlson officiated.
Internment was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Walter Ideker, James Liester, Wayne Pieper, Frank Hasert, Nelson Benson, and Elmer McDowell. Military rites were provided by Henry G. Fix Post No. 23, American Legion of Garretson.
Mr. Aaker died of a heart attack at his home Nov 12. Although he had been in poor health for several years, he had been out and about the farmstead that forenoon.
Irvin Aaker was born in Beaver Creek township, November 7, 1895, and grew to young manhood on his parents farm. He served in the Army during World War 1, entering the service September 19, 1917. He trasined at Camp Dodge, leaving for overseas duty August 16, 1918, where he served in France and Germany with Co. C, 313th Ammunition Train.
He worked on farms and later was engaged in farming for himself in Beaver Creek township. From there the family moved to what had been his parents farm in Springwater township where he resided until his death.
He was married to Milla Lowe March 20, 1924. They were the parents of four children; Arthur, of Beaver Creek; Laurence, of Westminster, Ca., Roger, of Garretson, and Gordon at home. Besides his widow and four sons, he is survived by a sister, Mrs Lizzie Williamson, Garretson, one brother, Oscar, of Worthington, nine grandchildren and one great grandson. His parents, the late Andrew and Mary Aaker, three sisters who died in infancy, and two grandsons preceded him in death.
Mr Aaker was a member of the Palisade Lutheran church, of the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
November 20, 1969
Star Herald
Relatives received word Monday of the death on Sunday night of Iver M Aaker, about 48, of Huron SD.
Mr Aaker grew to young manhood in Rock county, having lived with his uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Andrew Aaker, during his boyhood on a farm in Springwater township. His father, Ed Aaker, lives in Iowa, the mother died when he was a small child.
After leaving Rock county, he lived a number of years in Sioux Falls, and was married there. He went from Sioux Falls to Huron, where he was a manager of a finance company.
Besides his widow and father, he leaves a step son who lives at Jackson, Minn. A sister, Mrs Ole (Hilma) DeReu, preceeded him in death.
Funeral services were held at the American Lutheran church in Huron, at 2 p.m. yesterday.
July 17, 1958
Newspaper Unknown
Funeral services will be held today at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran church for Martin Aaker, 83, of Hills. The Rev. Charles Komschlies, pastor, will officiate, with internment in Bethlehem cemetery. Engebretson funeral home is in charge of arrangements. Pallbearers will be six nephews; Oliver Skyberg, Irid Bjerk, Palmer Williamson, Oscar Aaker, Irving Aaker, and Elmer Gunderson. Honorary bearers will be Oscar Ruud, Martin Ruud, Art Johnson, Sam Sundem, Nels Kolsrud and Olaf Nelson.
Mr. Aaker died at the Community hospital here at 10;50 p,m Monday after a lingering illness.
Born in Norway, September 8, 1882, he came to this country with his parents, the late Mr and Mrs Iver Aaker, at the age of eight. They lived near Canby Minn., before coming to Rock county in 1894. He grew to young manhoold in the Hills and Beaver Creek area and was married to Clara Skyberg at Luverne on March 27, 1917. They were the parents of three sons, Marvin and Russell, Luverne, and Milton who preceeded his father in death. He was engaged in farming near Beaver Creek for many years, moving to Hills in 1940, where he has since lived. He was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran church at Hills.
Besides his wife and two sons, he is survived by two grandchildren, a sister, Mrs Mary Bjerk, Luverne, and a brother, Edward Aaker, of Rock Rapids. Two sisters and six brothers preceded him in death.
November 3, 1966
Rock County Star Herald
Funeral services were held Monday at the Palisade Lutheran church for Mrs. Andrew I. Aaker, 85 , of Garretson. The Rev. Donald Sponheim, pastor, officiated and internment was in the East Palisade cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were, Bert Benson, Helge Bly, Swen Pederson, Ernest Ormseth, Reuben Larson, and Ed Lerum. Arrangements were Engebretson Funeral Home.
Mrs. Aaker died at the home of her son in law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Williamson, at Garretson, at 5:30 a.m. Friday of complications attendant advanced age.
Mrs. Aaker before her marriage was Mary Bjerk. She was born in a sod shanty in Beaver Creek township, Rock county, November 7, 1875, one of a family of 23 children.
She spent her childhood there, and attended public school in what was then School District 44.
She was married at Canby, Mn to Andrew I Aaker, December 28, 1893. They farmed in Springwater township until retiring in the fall of 1945, at which time they moved to Garretson. Mr. Aaker died June 30, 1949.
Mrs Aaker is survived by three children , Mrs. Lewis Williamson and Irvin L. Aaker of Garretson, and Oscar Aaker, Worthington, six grandchildren, six brothers, James Bjerk and Andrew Bjerk of Luverne; Ole Bjerk, Hills; Edwin, Melvin and Olaf Bjerk, Sioux Falls; and seven sisters, Mrs. Minnie Rystad and Mrs. Helma Hickman, Rembrandt, Iowa, Mrs. Judith Larson, DeSmet, S.D., Mrs. Olga Larson, Clark, SD., Mrs. Ragna Wallenberg and Mrs. Obed Lien, of Hills; and Mrs. Fred Wallenberg, Sioux Falls.
September 28, 1961
Rock County Star Herald
Funeral services for Mrs. Marit Thorson Aaker of Beaver Creek , who died Thursday evening at the age of 94 years, will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Palisades Lutheran Church, with Rev. E. W. Roesing, of Garretson, officiating.
Mrs. Aaker died at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday of the infirmities of old age in the home of her son in law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. James Bjerk, at Beaver Creek . She was born August 2, 1847, the daughter of Thore and Marit Thorson, at Sundalen, Norway, where she attended public schools. She married Iver Aaker, who died Oct 11, 1927 at Sundalen on June 20, 1867. They came to this country in 1893 and to Rock county in 1895. Mrs. Aaker has lived with her son in law and daughter, the James Bjerk’s the past 15 years.
January 2, 1942
Rock County Herald
Funeral services for a former Rock countian, Theodore Aaker, 81, were held at Valley City, N. Dak., Wednesday. Mr. Aaker died at his home in Valley City on December 23.
Born in Syndalen, Norway, March 19, 1869. Mr Aaker came to the United States at the age of 19. He settled first at Ocean, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand. Later he came to Rock county (Minnesota), and was married to Johanna Skrondahl. After farming there for several years, the family moved to DeGraff, in Swift county, Minn., then to North Dakota, where they farmed first near Cooperstown, and later near Valley City, before Mr. Aaker retired.
Circa: 1950
Newspaper Unknown
Funeral services were held Monday at Grace Lutheran church in Luverne for Aanen K. (Kay) Aanenson 89, a Luverne barber for the past 60 years. The Rev. Norman P. Olsen and the Rev. Duane Salness officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
Albert Christensen, R H Creeger, Don Hanson, Irid Bjerk, Mort B Skewes and Ray Koehn were pallbearers.
Holm Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Aanenson died at the Luverne Community Hospital Thursday afternoon. Although he had not been feeling well for several weeks, he had been hospitalized for only a week before his death. Prior to that time, he had been in his shop working on a limited basis.
December 24, 1975
Star Herald
Friends neighbors and relatives paid their last respects to Aanen T. Aanenson, Beaver Creek Township farmer, Saturday afternoon at funeral services at Palisade Lutheran church. Rev. E W Rossing, pastor, officiated and internment was in the East Palisade cemetery. Pallbearers were Clarence Rollag, Olaf Rollag, Carl Tveidt, Oscar Arneson, and Martin Steneberg. The Johnson Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.
Surviving Mr Aanenson in addition to his wife, one son and grandchildren, are two brothers, Obert Aanenson, Miller SD, and Sam Hoiland, Beaver Creek and four sisters, Mrs Ole Iveland, Luverne, Mrs Anton Remme, Kenneth, Mrs Nels Remme, Kenneth, and Mrs Ida Webster, Luverne
November 28, 1946
Newspaper Unknown
Mrs Agnetta Tobine Aanenson, aged 80 years and three months, died Saturday at 12:30 p.m., at the home of her daughter, Mrs W. H. Jones, five miles southeast of town. Death resulted from pneumonia, with which the deceased had been suffering for about a month. Funeral services, conducted by Rev. S. Berven and Rev H. W. Baumann, were held at the Lutheran Synod church in this city Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 and the remains were interred in the Lutheran cemetery by the side of her husband. The deceased had been a resident of Rock county since in the early 70's and was widely known and higly esteemed for her many womanly qualities, and a large number of sorrowing friends assembled at the church to attend the services and accompanied the remains to their last resting place.
The deceased was born in Vange, Norway, October 9, 1828, and was married to the late Ghar Aanenson, who died March 19, 1903. At Lyndal, Norway March 25, 1858. Mr and Mrs Aanenson came to America in 1861and about twelve years later came to Rock county. Two children survive, Mrs W H Jones and Miss Amelia Aanenson. both of whom were at their mother's bedside when she died.
January 17, 1908
Newspaper Unknown
Funeral services for Alex Aanenson, 60, a trucker in Luverne for many years were conducted Friday at Grace Lutheran church in Luverne. Burial was in Maplewood cemtery.The Rev. Norman Olson and Rev. Duane Salness officiated. Carl Vegge, Norman Vegge, Trygve Vegge, Gordon Aanenson, Orville Aanenson and Norman Aanenson were pallbearers.Holm Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.Alex Aanenson died Nov. 15 at his home in Luverne. He was born Nov. 24, 1917, on a farm in Rock county and attended county schools.He married Elizabeth Agatha Hagemann on July 13, 1938 in Luverne. Alex Aanenson worked for 28 years in his own trucking business. He retired May 1, 1977.He was a member of the American Legion and of Grace Lutheran church.
November 22, 1978
Rock County Star Herald
Died--Jacob Aanenson at his home four miles south of town Tuesday night at 12 o'clock. The deceased leaves one son, and one brother, Ghar Aanenson. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Lutheran church, Rev. Lunde officiating. The deceased was an old and well known resident of this county and was highly respected by all who knew him.
May 30, 1900
Rock County News
Funeral services for Jacob K. Aanenson, 80, Magnolia were conducted Saturday at Bethany Lutheran church in Luverne, the Rev. Milton Tweit officiating. Burial was in Maplewood cemetery.
John Flanigan, Fred Umland, Selmer Hoiland, Lyle Matthieson, Lester Wieck and Winn McClure were pallbearers.
Holm Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Aanenson died Jan. 21 at the Luverne Community Hospital. He was born Jan 23, 1890, on a farm south of Luverne. He married Vi Rachel Bonnett in 1917 and they farmed on the family homestead for several years, later moving to a farm south of Magnolia where they lived for 46 years. Survivors include Mrs. Aanenson, two children, Ellen and Yuvonne, two brothers Kay and Chris both of Luverne; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters.
Star-Herald
June 30, 1974
Johanna Tobine Elizabeth, daughter of Mrs. John Aanenson, died last Tuesday afternoon at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ghar Aanenson. The deceased was 2 years and 3 mos. of age and had been ill for several months. Funeral services were held last Friday conducted by Re. Sunde, and the remains were in the Lutheran cemetery. The News extends sympathy to the bereaved.
Feb. 14, 1900
Rock County News
Funeral services were held Wednesday for Mrs. Tom Hannah Aanenson (sic) 72, Luverne, at the Grace Lutheran Church. Mrs. Aanenson died Sunday at the Mary Jane Brown home after a lengthy illness.
The Rev. Stan Eyberg officiated the service and burial was in the Forest Hill Cemetery at Canton, S.D.
Pallbearers were Larry Aanenson, Lee Aanenson, Dennis Aanenson, Alan Aanenson, and Steve Dooyema. Engebretson Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Johanna Anderson was born in Canton, S.D., March 2, 1896. In 1916 she married Norman Nelson at Canton and Nov, 5, 1958, married Tom Aanenson at Sioux City, Iowa. She lived at Canton before coming to Luverne in 1957.
She is survived by her husband, one son, five step children. 17 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. One sister and three brothers.
Preceding her in death was her first husband, Norman Nelson, her parents, Mr and Mrs Hans Anderson, three brothers and three sisters.
Feb 1969
Newspaper Unknown
Funeral services for Joseph Aanenson, 65, of Luverne were held Thursday morning at Grace Lutheran Church, the Rev. Norman P. Olsen officiating.
Mr. Aanenson, a resident of the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center for the past several years, died at the Luverne Community Hospital. He had been in poor health for some time.
Pallbearers at the funeral were James Hommen, Jack Hommen, Rick Zoellner, John McClure Jr., Melford McClure and Douglas McClure.
Holm Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Aanenson was born in Rock county August 24, 1910, and grew to young manhood in this area. He attended school in Luverne, and was employed as a construction worker in this community, and had also worked in St. Paul.
He was married to Lillian Benson in Luverne. They were the parents of four children, John Ronald, Marlene, and Diane, all of whom live in St. Paul. Besides them he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Lena Barstad, five grandchildren, three sisters, and one brother.
His father, two brothers and one sister preceded him in death.
May 5, 1976
Star Herald
Knute Aanenson, residing 6 miles south of town, while out, hauling straw Monday, accidentally shot himself. He caught the gun by the muzzle and was in the act of pulling it towards him when it discharged, the load passing through the right hand and entering his right lung.
Dr. Kilgore was summoned and dressed the wound, but all that medical skill could do was to ease the sufferers pain. Death came to relieve his agony at sunrise on Tuesday morning. Dr. Kilgore reports that the wounds sustained by Aanenson, especially the one in the side, were as ugly as they well could be. Practically a large part of the right side of the body was torn away. How the man ever managed to travel two miles to his home after the accident is a mystery. His courage and stamina were simply wonderful under the circumstances. The loss of blood must necessarily weakened him, to say nothing of the torture consequent on movement with such a hurt.
Deceased was a man in the prime of life, strong and robust. He had resided in Rock county for a good many years and was by everyone regarded as an industrious and thoroughly honest and reliable man. He leaves a wife and several children, most of them quite young; but fortunately there are relatives and friends amply able and willing to aid and comfort them at this trying hour, and to plan for their welfare hereafter.
The funeral will be held tomorrow (Thursday), leaving the house at 11 a.m. Services will be held in the Norwegian Church, Luverne, at 2 p.m.
November, 21, 1894
Rock County News
Rev. Fossum of the United Lutheran Church conducted the funeral services Thursday of last week over the remains of the little child of Thor Aanenson, which died the Tuesday before. Bronchial pneumonia was the cause of death. Another child has been quite sick but is on the road to recovery now.
May 15, 1903
Rock county Weekly
The funeral of Myrtle Alvina, the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T K Aanenson, who reside south of the city, was held from the Norwegian Lutheran Synod church Saturday, the services being conducted by Rev. S. Berven. The internment took place in the Norwegian cemetery north of the city.
Feb 10, 1905
Rock County News
Mr. and Mrs. Ole Aanenson of Mound township mourn the death of their infant daughter, Opal Ramona, who died Tuesday noon of last week at 12:30 o'clock. The child was born May 5th and had been ill about two weeks. She passed away just after she reached the McKennan hospital at Sioux Falls, where she had been taken to receive treatment.
Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon of last week at 2:00 o'clock from Our Saviour's Lutheran church, Rev. J.O. Mundahl officiating, and internment was made in Maplewood.
Besides her parents, Opal is survived by nine brothers and sisters, Thelma, Alice?, Olga, Alma, Orville, Norman, Gordon, Howard and Norma.
1930
Rock County Herald
Funeral services for Otilia Aanenson, 86, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial will be in Maplewood cemetery.
The Rev. Norman Olsen and Rev. Duane Salness will officiate.
James Brandenburg, Steven Ellsworth, Archie Bonnett, Robert Aanenseon, Randy Aanenson, and Larry Aanenson will be pallbearers. John David Aanenson, Dennis Aanenson, Alan Aanenson, William Skidmore, Mark Skidmore, David Barmore, Daniel Barmore and Douglas Barmore will be honoray pallbearers.
Engebretson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Otilia Aanenson died Monday at the Luverne Community Hospital.
She was born Aug 14,1893, in Vamestad, Lyndhal, Norway, and attended grade school in Norway. She came to the United States Jan 28, 1911.
Otilia Vamestad and Ole Aanenson were married Sept 6, 1911 in Luverne. They farmed until retiring and moving to Luverne in 1936.
Ole Aanenson died in 1937. Otilia Aanenson is survived by four sons, seven daughters, 32 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and one sister, Bertina Sunde, Norway.
September 19, 1979
Star Herald
A life long resident of Rock county, Tom K. Aanenson, 86, died Tuesday of last week at the Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne. He had been in poor health for the past two years.
Funeral services were held Friday at Grace Lutheran Church, the Rev. Stan Eyberg officiating. Burial was in Maplewood cemetery. Pallbearers were Carl Trygve and Norman Vegge, Erling Russell and Selmer Hoiland.
Arrangements were by Engebretson Funeral Home.
Born near Luverne in Rock County, September 6, 1884, he attended elementary school in the rural district near his home. He married Anna Skyberg at Kenneth, Dec 8, 1903. They lived on a farm near Magnolia in Nobles county until they retired in 1944. Mrs Aanenson died in 1956.
They were the parents of eight children, four of whom are living. Three children died in infancy. One son, Melvin, died in January, 1970.
Mr. Aanenson's second marriage took place in Sioux City in November 1959, to Hannah Nelson. She died in 1969.
Besides his children he is survived by 16 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and three brothers, Aanen K and Chris Aanenson, Luverne, and Jake Aanenson, Magnolia. Two sisters preceeded him in death.
Mr. Aanenson was a member of Grace Lutheran Church of Luverne.
Dec 2, 1970
Newspaper Unknown
Thomas the fifteen year old boy of Thor Aanenson died on Saturday after a short illness. The funeral was _____Monday, Rev. Hvid officiating.
June 20, 1901
Newspaper Unknown
Waldemar, the 9 year old son of Mrs. Elizabeth Aanenson, died at the home of his grandfather, Wm. Richert, two miles south of Hardwick, Sunday afternoon at 4:30, after an illness of three weeks. A form of meningitis was the cause of death. For a year or more the little boy had made his home with his grandfather, and his mother went there from Luverne immediately upon the first news of his illness and attended him with care and devotion which lengthened his life though it could not save it. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Ordahl, assisted by Rev, AmEnd (sic) of Jasper, from the Synod church, yesterday forenoon and the remains were interred in the cemetery of that church.
The bereaved mother and the other relatives have the tender sympathy of the community in their loss.
Feb 13. 1903
Newspaper Unknown
Gahr Aanenson died at his home in this township, southeast of the village yesterday (Thursday) morning about 5 o’clock. His death was sudden and quite unexpected. He awoke about 4 o’clock yesterday morning and complained that he did not feel well. Word was sent to Arm Carter, a near neighbor, but before assistance arrived Mr. Aanenson was dead. Up to within an hour of his death he had exhibited no signs of illness. Wednesday afternoon he had been in Luverne buying presents to be given at the wedding of a young friend. Mr. Aanenson was one of the earliest settlers in Rock county; he was a veteran of the Civil war and was nearly 70 years of age. For several years he has suffered from a wound in his right side received in the war, and because of this was subject to periods of illness and pain. The old wound was no doubt responsible in a large measure for his sudden death. His wife and two children Mrs Will Jones and Miss Amelia Aanesnon, survive him. Mr. Aanenson was an honest, upright man, and in every way a good neighbor and a good citizen. He was a man respected and esteemed through out this county, by all who knew him, and his death occasions deep and general sorrow. The Herald is unable to give further particulars at this writing.
March 27, 1903
Rock County Herald