Mildred I. Beitland

Mildred I. Beitland, age 96, of Decorah, Iowa, died Thursday, April 6, 2006 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah following a brief illness. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, April 10, 2006 at Fjelstul Funeral Home by Rev. Marion Pruitt Miller with inurnment at a later date in South Blue Earth Lutheran Cemetery in Bricelyn, MN. Friends may call from 3:00-5:00 P.M. Sunday, April 9, 2006 and an hour prior to the services on Monday at the Funeral Home. Mildred I. Beitland was born November 12, 1909 on a farm near New Providence, Iowa, the daughter of Sidney “Ralph” and Viola “Belle” (Klinck) Rowen. Her family moved quite a bit when she was young, so she grew up in several areas, including Union, Iowa, North Dakota and Minnesota. She was baptized in Darwin, Minnesota and confirmed in Fairmont, Minnesota. Mildred was educated in country school and after graduating she began working as a waitress. Mildred was united in marriage to Mathias L. Beitland on September 28, 1933 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. To this union, one daughter was born: Lois. Following their marriage, the couple farmed on the Beitland homestead near Bricelyn, Minnesota. She was an active member of the South Blue Earth Lutheran Church of rural Bricelyn. Mathias preceded her in death on December 26, 1953. She continued to live on the farm until relocating to Decorah in 1975 to be near to her daughter and her family. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Decorah. Mildred enjoyed playing cards, crocheting, trying out new recipes and watching college basketball on television. She was especially pleased to help her family whenever and however she could. Survivors include her daughter, Lois and her husband Tom Henning of Decorah, Iowa; two grandsons, Matthew Henning of Harvey, Iowa and Christopher Henning of Decorah; and a sister, Leone Peterman of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Mathias; three sisters in infancy; a brother, Virgil Rowen and a half sister, Alice Marden.