Madonna Estenson

Madonna Elizabeth Estenson (Shimek) of Climax, Minnesota passed November 29th, 2013 at the age of 97 years, while in the care of Altru Health Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Donna was born in the greater East Grand Forks, Minnesota area on August 21st, 1916, to Albert and Clara Shimek. She grew up as an only child on a rural farm, attending a one-room school house a few miles away. As a child, Donna passed the time by making up games to play, as well as, playing with the family dog "Pal" who would sometimes pull her on a sleigh in the winter. The family later moved from the farm into East Grand Forks, where her father Albert became a member of the police department. She attended Sacred Heart School for two years and enjoyed singing in the choir. On October 23rd, 1937 Donna married Haakon Morris Estenson of Climax, Minnesota at the Sacred Heart Rectory. During over 57 years of marriage they lived in a number of places including Crookston, Minnesota, where they had a small filling station, construction company, and Donna worked at Red Owl. They also resided in Los Angeles, California, on Figueroa Avenue, where Haakon worked for the Wilmington Shipyards; and later at Minneapolis, where Haakon worked in other war related interests, while Donna was employed at a local drug store on Lyndale Avenue. During their time in Minneapolis they experienced the "blackouts" familiar to large cities during World War II. Ultimately, Donna and Haakon settled near family on their rural Climax, Minnesota farm in 1949. They spent the remainder of their lives together raising their three sons: Roger, Richard and Lionel. Lionel passed away on the farm at 3 years of age after a brief illness.

Donna and Haakon both enjoyed polka music, watching Lawrence Welk, and dancing at the Eagles Aeries in both East Grand Forks and Crookston, Minnesota, where they were longtime members. Donna was a member of the Catholic Church, attending masses in Crookston at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where she was very charitable to the congregation, and at Sacred Heart in East Grand Forks and St. Michaels in Grand Forks. Throughout their time together, she and Haakon enjoyed traveling to Long Beach, California in the winter months where they had an apartment. They attended the Minnesota state picnics there often during the early years. They later spent their winters in South Texas and the Houston area, visiting both of their sons, Roger G. Estenson Sr. and Richard A. Estenson, and their families. During her later years Donna enjoyed taking car rides to see familiar places around the Grand Forks and Crookston areas. She would pass the time at home listening to Lawrence Welk, watching wildlife in her yard, playing with the family cat, Whiskers, and attending Notre Dame Sunday Mass on her television.

Donna is survived by sons, Roger Gaylord Estenson Sr. and Richard A. Estenson; grandsons, Roger Gaylord II and Richard D. Estenson and granddaughters, Courtney and Hailey Estenson; as well as, a great-grandson, Aiden Estenson She was preceded in death by her husband Haakon, and infant son, Lionel. Mass of Christian Burial for Madonna Estenson will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, December 6, 2013 at the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, MN with The Rev. Mario Prada, presiding. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery at Crookston.



Funeral Home: Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home 615 South Minnesota Street Crookston, MN US 56716

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Service
Friday, December 6, 2013
cemetery
Friday, December 6, 2013