Hildegard Hatlestad

Hildegard Maria Katharina (Stark) Hatlestad, age 89, of rural Crookston, MN, passed away on Sunday, January 26, 2020, at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home in Crookston, MN, with her family by her side.

Hildegard was born on April 30, 1930, in Fisher, MN, the daughter of the late Carl and Meta (Ahders) Stark.  She attended school in Fisher, MN, through her Junior year in high school and graduated from Crookston High School.  In her younger years she did housework for local families, worked at Cox Bakery selling baked goods for Roy and Edna Feldman, and then she worked as an operator for Bell Telephone until she was married.  On January 31, 1959, she was married the love of her life Orval Hatlestad at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Crookston, MN and to that union was born 3 children, Cynthia in 1959, Vickie in 1962, and Paul in 1966. The family settled in rural Crookston where Hildegard excelled at being a home maker and farmer’s wife.  In their younger years, Orval and she would host Whist parties at their home, and she especially enjoyed driving the combine at harvest time and was very good at it.  She was also a member of the East Fairfax Homemakers Club for over 50 years and an active member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Evening Guild and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. In her free time, she enjoyed embroidery, needlepoint, baking, and gardening, especially flowers.  She also liked travelling to Medora, Mackinac Island, and camping with her family.  She also loved animals of all kinds but most of all her cats.  Hilda’s greatest joy was spending time with family.  She cherished moments with all of her many grandchildren.

Hildegard is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 61 years, Orval Hatlestad of rural Crookston, MN; daughters, Cynthia (Gerald) Flikka and Vickie (Randy) Huelskamp, both of Crookston, MN; son, Paul (Lisa) Hatlestad of Erskine, MN; 6 grandchildren Tanya (Loren) Raaen, Stephanie (Nathan) Overgaard, Matthew (Brittney) Flikka, Rachel (Joel) Andringa, Jessica (Kiel) Schleusner, and Stacy (Jared) Olson; 11 great-grandchildren, Taylor (Sheldon) and Jasmine Haglund, Sam, Amelia, and Kendra Overgaard, Alex and Jaret Mattson, Connor Schleusner, Caitlyn Raaen, Gemma Olson, and Beckett Flikka; great-great-grandchild, Kennedy Rittel; and sister and brother in law, Emilie and Ron Pederson of Beltrami, MN; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Meta Stark; fathers and mother in law, Carl and Caroline Quick and Sam Hatlestad; sisters and brothers in law, Ursula and Leslie Dans and Henrietta and Elroy Hensrud; and great-nephew Kailer Pederson.

Funeral Service for Hildegard will be at 11:00 am Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Crookston, MN, with a visitation for one hour before the service.  Pastor Steve Bohler will be officiating.  Interment will be at Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, MN, in the spring of 2020.