Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 11262
Title: Karsten, Rev. E.O. Baalson
Date: 1916 - 2009
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 12/31/1916
Summary: Reverend Karsten E.O. Baalson, age 92, went to be with the Lord on November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day. A graveside service was held at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Tioga, ND December 22, 2009. Pastor Rodger Olson officiated. A celebration of Karsten’s life was held at a later date at Zion Lutheran Church in Tioga. Karsten was born in Silvana, WA on December 31, 1916 to his parents Amanda and Pastor Herman E. Baalson. Karsten was born a PK, preacher’s kid, living the first eight years of his life in Silvana, on an island on the Stillaguamish River. Karsten had fond memories of attending the Scandinavian Church in Silvana, The Little White Church on the Hill, where his father was pastor, where he enjoyed summers with family at their cottage on Juniper Beach, Camano Island. In 1924 Karsten’s family moved to Sunberg, MN. Karsten graduated from Kerkhoven High School. He attended Luther College in Decorah, IA, graduating with a B.A. majoring in history, minors in Greek and English and letters in track, beating nationally known athlete Theo Gibs in the 220. He attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN, the Seminary of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.During the year of his internship at Alexander, ND Karsten met the love of his life, Bernell Borstad, a high school music teacher. They married in 1943 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Tioga, ND and were married 66 years. Karsten proudly served congregations of Milton and Osnabrook, ND, Wilmont, SD and Our Saviors, Prineville, OR. After retiring in 1979, Karsten and Bernell moved to Mount Vernon, WA to be near his brother, Herman A. Baalson and family. Summers were spent on the Borstad farm in Tioga with Bernell’s brother’s and sister’s families. Karsten loved the outdoors, cross-country skiing, gardening, fishing, art, photography and watching his favorite baseball team, the Seattle Mariners. His holidays always included his favorite food, lutefisk and lefse. Karsten was an avid artist, he enjoyed painting canvas oil and pastels and attending art shows with Bernell. He enjoyed spending endless hours with his longtime friend and artist Fred Zeretzke at the beach or in the mountains painting the beautiful scenery. He believed a picture is worth a thousand words. Karsten also wrote a book, Karsten’s Kronikles, full of humorous stories and history. Karsten and Bernell were active in two Lutheran churches, one in Arlington, Atonement Free Lutheran, and Lord of Life Free Lutheran Church, where they were founding members. Reverend Baalson and Bernell led a full and glorious life together, travelling the United States, touring Norway and several European countries, as well as the Holy Land and historical sites. Karsten’s love for the Lord, family and friends, (he never knew a stranger) and his love and devotion to his wife Bernell were endless. He will be dearly missed. Karsten is survived by those who loved him, sister-inlaw, Florence (Orville) Hiepler of Fall Brook, CA; nieces and nephews, Karen (Denny) Hauck of Mount Vernon, WA, Patti (Richard) Travis of Gig Harbor, WA, Steve Baalson of Houston, TX, Michelle Ness of Mount Vernon, WA, Tara (Ray) Harper and their child, Riley of Graham, WA, Corrine (Bruce) Kjelvik of Mesa, AZ, Juris (Helen) Borstad of Kalispell, MT, Dorene (Curt) McDougall of Minneapolis, MN, Ilene (Robert) Bradberry of Laguna Niguel, CA and Mark (Michelle) Hiepler of Camarillo, CA. Karsten is also survived by his closest friends, Sheri and Jerry Windsor and Beverly Lentz. He was preceded in death by his parents, Pastor Herman E. and Amanda Baalson; wife, Bernell Baalson; and brother and sister-in-law, Herman A. (Donna) Baalson.
Red ID: FND_I_62026 Image ID: 523666 Image Notes: FND001 11262

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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