A tribute to a life well-lived
Gwenneth Signe Wiegrefe passed away November 29th at Gundersen Harmony Care Center just a month shy of her 95th birthday. She was born to Sven and Lois (Zupp) Hogstad December 26th, 1930 in Blue Earth, MN – the second (and oldest girl) in a family of 9 children. She graduated from Huntley High School (MN) as valedictorian and class president. She played the violin in orchestra and French horn in the school band.
Legend: from left: Dick, Wayne, Gwen, Shirley (SIL-Fritz), Fritz, Ronnie, Elaine, Robert (BIL-Elaine), Jim, Lois, Marian, and Sven). Not pictured: Janet.
With financial help from her (half)brother, Fritz (Werner), she began post-secondary education at Austin Junior College. She then transferred to the U of M – Twin Cities where she studied Nursing. She left college and worked as a 4H Extension Agent to earn money to continue. She met Lee Willmsen of Arlington, MN and they married in September 1952. Their marriage was cut short at 10 months when he was killed in action in Korea.
Mom returned to college at Hamline University, where she studied Home Economics. Once again, she had to put her schooling on hold due to lack of funding. She returned to working in the Extension Service and met Paul Wiegrefe on a date arranged by friends. They quickly decided they were meant to be together and the 60 mile trip to visit was not sustainable. They married on her birthday in 1954 in a poinsettia-decorated church within 6 months of meeting.
They lived in Faribault for 33 years raising 4 daughters together. Mom schooled us in domestic skills of sewing, knitting, gardening, canning and freezing, as well as standard issue meal preparation and housekeeping. She was active in the PTA of the Warsaw Township school, District 1799, where all of us 4 girls attended, the Congregational Church Women’s Circle and PEO. She was always learning – she took classes on sewing women’s lingerie, tailoring, upholstery, block printing, and stained glass artistry, among other topics. She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage and learned rosemaling (painting), Hardanger (embroidery), and lefsa baking. When we got older, she began working part time at the Rice County Extension office and later, used her knowledge from her Master Gardening training as an employee at Lehman’s Gardens.
The family developed a great tradition of vacationing for a week each summer in northern Minnesota. It was highlighted by blueberry picking, board and card games, bonfires, hikes and canoe rides, and the occasional fish supper. This continued as their extended family grew and joined them there.
Legend: (from left) – Blake Erickson, Carol Wiegrefe, Ken Erickson, Elizabeth Blackmer, Linda Erickson, Gwen, Jeff Blackmer, Karen Blackmer, Rebecca Blackmer, Sue Wiegrefe, and Adam Erickson.
When Karen, her youngest daughter, started college at Mankato State, Mom enrolled as well and finally attained her goal of completing her Bachelor’s Degree (in Home Economics) in 1985. In 1986, she and Dad purchased a retirement home in the woods of northwestern Wisconsin. The two of them integrated into the Amery community through volunteering at the Senior Center, the Congregational Church and via bridge clubs. They worked as a team to re-landscape their property, making it a haven for birds and other wildlife.
Legend: (left to right) Carol, Sue, Gwen, Paul, Linda and Karen.
When Dad had the first of a series of strokes, they moved into Amery, with a new yard to work on. Mom always felt the need to be productive and used her sense of color and design to make hundreds of quilt tops – the vast majority of which she donated to church charities. She continued to do and teach Hardanger and quilting. They continued to love to travel and, with oldest daughter, Carol (as driver and mediator), took extended road trips and maintained season ticket status for U of M men’s basketball for 27 years.
After Dad died in 2008, she remained in Amery for a time. She and Carol took European bus tours together and continued the road trips, often detouring to one of her out-of-state daughters’ homes for a visit. In 2015, Mom moved to an independent living apartment in Harmony, MN – closer to family and without the cares of home ownership. She continued to produce quilt tops at an amazing pace but added planting and weeding gardens at my farm and even helping to tube-feed newborn lambs to her list of activities.
Mom experienced incremental decreases in her physical and cognitive abilities and moved to Gundersen Harmony Care Center in June of 2023. She continued to be curious, animated, and exhibit her lively sense of humor up until very near her end. Her caregivers during these last several years have been phenomenal and we thank them profusely. Mom will always be remembered for her smile. She left a enduring and endearing legacy with her family and communities.
Gwen is survived by her 4 daughters: Carol Wiegrefe, Rosemount, MN; Sue Wiegrefe, Mabel, MN; Linda (Ken) Erickson, Dublin, OH; and Karen (Jeff) Blackmer, Ankeny, IA. Grandchildren: Elizabeth and Rebecca Blackmer, Ankeny, IA; Adam Erickson, West Chester, OH, and Blake (Maddison) Erickson, North Ridgeville, OH. Siblings: Wayne (Robyn) Hogstad and Ronald (Mary) Hogstad. And many nieces, nephews, and sister-in-law, Marion (Dick) Hogstad.
She donated her body to Mayo’s medical research program and did not desire a memorial service be held for her, rationalizing that the vast majority of her friends and family are already dead. I hope this compilation has enabled you to relive your connection to her and maybe fill in a few previously unknown facets about this amazing woman.