Leo O. Moen

Leo Moen, age 95, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Saturday, February 9, 2008, at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home in Decorah, Iowa, following a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church with Rev. Kim Smith presiding. Burial will be in the Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery, rural Decorah, Iowa. Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home in Decorah, Iowa, and after 10:00 a.m. at the church on Wednesday morning. Leo Orlando Moen was born on October 26, 1912, the son of John O. and Anna (Lotvedt) Moen, south of Ossian, Iowa, near the Stavanger Lutheran Church. Leo was baptized at Stavanger Lutheran Church on November 24, 1912 and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church on May 22, 1927. Leo attended country schools in the Washington Prairie area and Decorah High School for one and a half years. Leo started farming with his father and then with his brother, Willie in 1936. Leo married Thelma Marvel Lovstuen on December 27, 1938 at the Glenwood Lutheran Parsonage. Together they farmed in the Glenwood, Stavanger, and Washington Prairie areas. They retired in 1974 and moved into Decorah, but he continued to work on the farm. Leo enjoyed woodworking and was a member of the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. He served as trustee and worked numerous hours during the building of the Washington Prairie Parish Hall, during clean-up days of the church grounds and with general repairs of the church and parsonage. Leo is survived by his wife: Thelma Moen, Decorah, IA. One daughter: LaVonne Bjergum, Decorah, IA. Two sons: Duane “Bud” (Ann) Moen, Decorah, IA and Lyle (Nancy Rash) Moen, Washington, IA. Seven grandchildren: Lloyd (Irene) Bjergum, Jeanne (Bob) Mulder, Alice Bjergum, Wendy Moen, Ronald (Kathy) Moen, Richard (Sara) Moen and Kimberly (Stan) Pauls. Nine great-grandchildren: Greg, Jessica, Jacob and Samantha Mulder; Katie and Lacie Bjergum; Jonathan Morris, Abigail “Abby” and Morgan Moen. One brother: Walter K. “Bob” (Nina) Moen, Henderson, NV. Three sisters: Angeline (Roger) Bacon, Mabel, MN, Marcella “Marcie” Opfer, Waukon, IA and Geneva “Jean” Colburn, Poulsbo, WA. One sister-in-law: Ruth Moen, Cedar Rapids, IA, and numerous nieces and nephews. Leo was preceded in death by his parents. One daughter in infancy: Darlene Moen. One son-in-law: Roger Bjergum. One grandson: Steven Moen. Two brothers: Elmer (Marie) Moen and Willie Moen. Four sisters: Lillian (Earle) Maples, Amy (Harvey) Buddenberg, Gladys (Hjalmer) Kolseth and Agnes (Edwin) Ginapp. Two brothers-in-law: Jim (Ed) Opfer and Russell Colburn.