Lorraine Greenslade

Tuesday, August 30, 2016 2:48 pm

Lorraine Greenslade, 92, of rural Cresco, passed away Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016, at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield, Minn. Funeral services are Friday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Cresco. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday evening at the Lindstrom Funeral Home in Cresco, as well as one hour prior to services at the church. Burial is in the Freemont Cemetery in rural Cresco.

Lorraine Greenslade was born May 25, 1924, in Ridgeway, to Henry and Glora (Fretheim) Bakken. She graduated from Cresco High School with a teaching certificate that allowed her to teach grades 1 through 7 in a country school for two years. During that time she became engaged to Robert Greenslade and they were married Sept. 14, 1944, at the First Lutheran Church in Cresco. For five years they farmed near Ridgeway. In 1949 they moved to a farm north of Cresco, near the Minnesota line where they farmed for over 58 years and raised their seven children. They were members of the Fremont Lutheran church where she was active in circle and Ladies Aid, working at every church supper and helping with Sunday school. After its closing, they joined the First Lutheran Church in Cresco. Her life had revolved around her family and church. She came from a generation of farm women that made large dinners for men at silo filling time and for crews that were on the farm for various other jobs such as building the silos. She raised laying hens and picked eggs to sell. She “spoiled” her family with after school treats daily, mouthwatering baked goods, and of course her awesome lefse for Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday gatherings. Grandchildren marveled at how easily she could plan and prepare delicious meals. Although there wasn’t much time for watching TV a few of her favorite shows were I Love Lucy, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Little House on the Prairie, Father Knows Best, Ed Sullivan and Lawrence Welk. Neighborhood gatherings and card parties were part of her social life. Grandchildren and great – grandchildren were always lovingly welcomed into her home. These times were great memories that the grandchildren still reminisce about. She had a passion for gardening, especially adorning the yard with beautiful flowers. Over the years Lorraine did a lot of quilting and crocheted many pillow cases for us and the grandbabies. After her husband, Robert, passed away Aug. 6, 2008, she remained on the farm for about four more years. For the last four years she had lived in Chatfield – two years at Chosen Valley Assisted Living and two years at the Chosen Valley Care Center. Her qualities are best described in Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. “
Lorraine is survived by three sons: Ronald (Karen) of Stewartville, Minn., Randy (Sheri) of rural Cresco, Dean (Char) of Pine Island Minn.; and four daughters: Carol Rain of Chatfield, Minn., Sharon (Ken) Vagts of Hastings, Kathy Showman of Rochester, Minn. and Karen (Phil) Van De Velde of Hastings, Minn.; 24 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren and one sister, Dolly Reicks of Cresco; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Glora (Fretheim) Bakken; her husband, Bob; two brothers, Orvin and Roger Bakken; three sisters: Viola (in infancy), Lillie Sebastian and Gladys Sullivan; one sister in law, Darlene Bakken; two brothers-in-law, Melvin Sebastian and Donald Sullivan; one grandson, Jamie Turner; and one great-grandson, Jared Pederson; one daughter-in-law, Marsha Greenslade; and one son-in-law, Lynn Dale Turner.

The family would like to thank Chosen Valley Care Center and Seasons Hospice for their loving care these last four years and especially these last two months. Blessed be her memory.