Ole Fosness

Funeral services were held Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009, at Barton Lutheran Church for Ole M. Fosness Jr., 82, who died Wednesday, Aug. 19, at St. Luke’s Care Center in Blue Earth, Minn.

Burial with military honors was in the West Barton Cemetery.

Ole was born Oct. 21, 1926 in rural Rugby, a son of Ole and Marie (Roksvaag) Fosness. He received his elementary education at rural school west of Barton. He worked as a farmhand for local farmers in his teenage years. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in March of 1945. He received his training as a paratrooper and rifleman at Fort Benning, Ga. and Fort Bragg, N.C. In December of 1945, he enlisted in the regular Army Reserves. He served in Germany from July 1946 to November 1946. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal and the Army Occupation Medal (Germany). He was discharged on Dec. 16, 1946. In October of 1950, he was recalled to duty. He was honorably discharged in September of 1951. He married Phylis Wolfe on Oct. 23, 1951. He worked at a steel plant in Lebanon, Pa. until moving to Butte, Mont. in 1953. He worked at Stauffer Chemical Company until 1956. The family moved back to Pennsylvania where he worked for a construction company. Ole and Phylis divorced. He moved back to Butte, Mont. and in 1966, he left for Minneapolis and Kansas City, Mo. where he worked at a book publishing company. He later resided at St. Luke’s Lutheran Home in Blue Earth.

He is survived by three children, Roger, Barbara and Arnold; grandchildren; two brothers, Norman and Einar; six sisters, Virginia LaFleur, Gladys Isaacson, Dorothy Gronvold, Lilly Olsen, Mae Metcalfe and Elsie Arends; and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Ernest and Michael; and two brothers, Harold and Peter.

Pastor Mike Pretzer officiated.

Arrangements by Hoff Funeral Homes – Rushford Chapel, Rushford, Minn., in association with Anderson Funeral Home, Rugby.