Virginia Mae Holkesvik

Virginia Mae Holkesvik, age 79, of Decorah, Iowa died Thursday, November 30, 2006 at Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services will be held Monday, December 4, 2006 at 1:30pm at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Locust, rural Decorah by Rev. O. Paul Hougen, with burial in Locust Cemetery. Friends may call from 11:00 A.M. until the time of services on Monday at the church. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is in charge of the arrangements. Virginia Mae Rustad was born on May 20th, 1927 in Decorah, Iowa, the daughter of Abraham & Olena (Lomen) Rustad. Virginia was the sixth of seven Rustad children and was baptized at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church by Reverend Koran and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in 1942 by Reverend Losen. On January 6, 1946 she married Allen Eugene Holkesvik at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Locust. This union was blessed with five children: David, Steven, Julie, Lori, and Lowell. They lived on the family farm down the road from the church in rural Decorah for many years. Virginia enjoyed Sunday dinners, fishing, driving along the river, cooking, playing cards, church activities, wildlife watching, watching her stories, gardening, canning, listening to country music, visiting with friends, dancing with Allen, and most of all spending time with her family. Survivors include her husband, Allen of rural Decorah; their children, Steven (Mary) Holkesvik of Decorah, Julie (Bob) Sauer of Rochester, MN, Lori (Kerry) Erickson of Mabel, MN, Lowell (Kelly) Holkesvik of Rochester, MN, and a daughter-in-law, Bonnie Holkesvik of Decorah. Virginia and Allen have 16 grandchildren; Lee Holkesvik of Decorah, Lisa (Rich) Blaess of Decorah, Gunnery Sgt. Lynn (Angie) Holkesvik of Belton, MO, Robert (Molly) Holkesvik of Decorah, Tessa (Mark) Voigt of Cresco, Chad Barth of Arlington, VA, Laura Sauer of New York, NY, Christina Sauer of Rochester, MN, Michael Sauer of Rochester, MN, Tina (Bruce) Michels of Hesper, Tonya (Adam) Tollefsrud of Decorah, Stephanie Erickson of Mabel, MN, AB Tyler Erickson [Airforce] of San Antonio, TX, Quentin Holkesvik of Rochester, MN, Zachary (Valarie) Holkesvik of Forest City, and Zebulen Holkesvik of Decorah. They are also blessed with 22 great grandchildren; Richie, Matt, Anna, and Ryan Blaess; Jordan, Makayla, and Brooklyn (due in January) Holkesvik; Marea, Hans, Steven, Dawson, and Nils Holkesvik; Corrina, Alexandra, and Jacob Voigt; Bryce, Maddison, and Robert Michels; Emma & Gwen Tollefsrud; Jackson Holkesvik; and Owen Holkesvik. Virginia has two sisters, Ruth Lucille (Charles) Tollefsrud of Mabel, MN and Shirley Mae (Bob) Brooks of Houston, TX. She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Jeanette Holkesvik of Decorah and two sisters-in-law, Marion (Earl) Knoke of Decorah and Ruth (Bob) Acosta of Chatsworth, CA Preceding her in death were; her parents, Abraham and Olena Rustad; her brothers, Edward, Otis, and Russell; her sister Adeline; her oldest son David in 1988; and a great grandson, Robert Eugene Holkesvik in 1993.