Thelma Lillian Andersen, 103

Published 8:03 am Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Thelma Lillian Andersen, 103, of Austin, Minnesota, died Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home.

Thelma Lillian Andersen, 103

Thelma was born Sept. 8, 1913, in Wright County, Iowa, to Omer and Clara (Ritter) Ross. On April 9, 1938, Thelma was united in marriage to Harold Andersen in Des Moines, Iowa. Together the couple raised three children.

Over the years the couple resided in Algona, Iowa, Mason City, Iowa, for two years, and then moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, in 1941, where they lived in the same house that Harold grew up in. They later retired to Nisswa, Minnesota, in 1973. Following Harold’s death in 1990, Thelma moved to Austin where she lived on her own until moving to St. Mark’s. She loved her role as homemaker, wife, and mother. A member of the St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin, Thelma enjoyed gardening, sewing, crocheting, going for walks, and reading. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Survivors include her children, Larry (Sherry) Andersen of Austin, Alice (John) McGee of Breezy Point, Minnesota, and Lois (Bob) Riseling of Memphis, Tennessee; seven grandchildren, Scott (Sherry) Andersen, Jeff (Kathy) Andersen, Chad Andersen, Marc Riseling, Micaela Riseling, Melanie (Joe) Dotty, and Mandy McGee; brother, Omer (Dona) Ross of Mazeppa, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold in 1990; and brothers, Raymond, Richard, and Freeman.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service at St. Olaf. Interment will be in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake. Memorials are preferred to St. Olaf Backpackers or St. Mark’s Memory Care.

Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.