Leo Tollefson

Leo Tollefson, age 97, of Decorah, Iowa, died Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at Aase Haugen Home in Decorah following a short illness. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 20, 2006 at Glenwood Lutheran Church, rural Decorah, by Rev. Curtis A. Fox. Burial will be in Pontoppidan Cemetery in rural Decorah. Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Thursday, October 19, 2006 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and after 10 A.M. on Friday, October 20, 2006 at the church. Theodore Leonel (Leo) Tollefson was born June 24, 1909, in Egg Creek Township, McHenry, ND, the son of Theodore E. and Louise A. (Ask) Tollefson. He attended rural school of Madison Township, Winneshiek County, IA. Leo was united in marriage to Emma Josephine Skaim on December 12, 1928 at the Ridgeway Parsonage with the Rev. D.C. Jordahl officiating. To this union, twelve children were born: Lucille, Bennie, Elaine, Vernelle, Sandra, Leonel, Darlene, Ardyce, Theodore, Jimmy, David and Julie. Leo farmed first in Canoe Township and then for many years in Glenwood Township. Upon his retirement in 1974, he and Emma moved into Decorah. Leo moved into Aase Haugen Home on December 20, 1999. He was a member of Glenwood Lutheran Church. Leo played the drums in the Madison Community Band and he liked to do carpentry work for neighbors around the area. Leo was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Emma, December 19, 2000; two sons: Bennie Tollefson, August 1992, and Theodore Tollefson, July 1978; one daughter: Vernelle Van Dresar on December 30, 1998; four brothers: Arthur Roy, Henry, Arthur and Orville; one sister: Alida Evenmoe; three grandsons: Daniel Tollefson, John Franklin and Randy Tollefson; four great-grandchildren: Amber Frey, Alane Smock, Austin Van Dresar and Angel Lubahn; and two sons-in-law: Donald Wanless and Charles Van Dresar. Survivors include nine children: Lucille Smock of Decorah, Elaine Wanless of Coralville, IA, Sandra (Earl) Langfitt of Cedar Rapids, Leonel (Mary) Tollefson of State Center, IA, Darlene (Gene) Stoen of Decorah, Ardyce (Vincent) Wolrab of Cedar Rapids, Jimmy (Patricia) Tollefson of Decorah, David (Dawn) Tollefson of Decorah, and Julie (Dennis) Lubahn of Hiawatha; 39 grandchildren; 91 great-grandchildren; 24 great-great-grandchildren; and his sister, Clara Fretheim of Shippensburg, PA.