Lois Catherine Kjos

Mrs. Lois Kjos of Stanchfield (Goose Lake) passed away Monday (4/20/2015) at GracePointe Crossing-Gables West in Cambridge at the age of 80 years. Lois was born October 30, 1934 at the St Andrews Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Roy Gustaf Edwin and Inez Catherine Hempel. She had an infant brother die at birth a year before her and a sister, Grace Inez born June 9, 1936. She grew up in South Minneapolis at 3901 23rd Avenue and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1952. She married Raymond Harry Swanson known as Bud or Buddy to his family and friends on February 21, 1953 at Olivet Free Lutheran Church by Rev. O. S. Weltzin. Bud had joined the Air Force right out of high school and he and Lois went to Air Force bases in Colorado and Riverside, CA. They started their family when Leonard Wade was born on February 25, 1954, Deborah Catherine born on February 5, 1955 and Randall Scott born on February 1, 1956. He left the Air Force and came back home and purchased a home at 6408 19th Avenue South where Judith May joined the family on May 21, 1957 and Sandra LoRay born on August 29, 1958; 5 little darlings. They both worked various jobs trying to make ends meet. Unfortunately, their marriage came to an end on June 10, 1965. She went to work at Eaton Corp in Eden Prairie and that is where she met Marvin Lowell Kjos; I think she made him shave his beard before they would go out! With their union on June 24, 1972, four more lovely daughters were added to make one big happy family. Lois worked at LifeTouch School Photo Company where she eventually retired from. Shortly, after they were married they bought 2 lots on the little Goose Lake northeast of Cambridge where a few of there Eaton Corp friends had lake homes. At first they built a double garage that served as their cabin for many years. As they anticipated retirement, they began plans on a home with an attached garage so Marvin could have a wood shop for all of the many items he built. Their home was completed in 1989 and they sold their home in Richfield and moved to the lake. They carpooled to work for 8 years - more 72 miles one way! They became active members at the Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church at Rush Point taking on several jobs of responsibility. Lois sang in the choir and was very active in the Women’s Group and in the kitchen, especially those church suppers! Marvin was a great help as an usher and on the Properties Group. He was a very good coffee maker and now teaches the young people how to make baptismal quilts. Marvin and Lois loved to square dance and belonged to several groups and attended the Square Dance Conventions all over the country. They even taught many to square dance who have remained their very good friends for life. She loved to research the family history and kept the family genealogy records updated. With a large family meant many family get togethers which meant lots of food and fun at the lake fishing, swimming and boating! Their time was divided between Marvin’s daughters in the cities and his family living “up north”; they would go back and forth visiting especially as the kids married and had children. Lois’ kids moved all over the country but now all but Debbie have settled in Texas and the grandkids are in several states too. A huge change in their life came when Lois contracted Encephalitis on December 22, 2005 right before Christmas. She was in the hospital for over a month and then at Sister Kenny for 3 weeks of therapy. She had to learn to talk and walk all over again. Slowly she was able to do some things for herself but through the years it became very difficult for Marvin to continue caring for her at home. He turned to the GracePointe Crossing-Gables West Nursing Home in Cambridge and on June 10, 2010 she became a full time resident. Marvin continued to visit her almost every day and in fact he became one of their most active volunteers; teaching residents to crow hook (a form of crocheting) which he made all of the kids, their spouses and grandchildren afghans. Then he tried something different - quilting! He made the great grandchildren baptismal quilts and several quilts for the church raffles. He brought Lois to bingo who became the bingo queen because of her frequent winning. Through the years she became wheel chair bound and the quality of her life wasn’t what she would have hoped for. Judy, Debbie and Duane would visit on weekends to care for her as well as to bring something good to eat for coffee times! Toward the end, Lois would sleep a lot and didn’t eat much as she continued to fail and on Monday, April 20th at 12:45 am she took her last breathe and went home to heaven. Now she is no longer wheel chair bound, her mind is clear and probably singing soprano in the choir again. She left behind her wonderful husband, Marvin, sons, Len Swanson, Randy (Kathy) Swanson all of TX, daughters, Debbie (Duane) Setering of West St. Paul, Judy Swanson, Sandra (Tom) Dial all of TX, Beth (Jeff) Anderson of Fargo, ND, Judy (Kevin) Merkens of Hawley, Karen (Mark) Goldberg of Eagan and Cheryl (Rob) Hunter of Burnsville; 18 grandchildren, Kirsten Swanson, Alexandria Swanson, Brandon (Angela) Setering, Michael Setering, Lex (Zoe) Frost, Molloy (Jessica) Dial, Travis Dial and Sarah Dial; Cecelia Olvera, Adrian Olvera, Shawn (Katie) McPherson, Tyrone (Kayla) Merkens, Bryce (Holly) Merkens, Jenna Merkens, Sierra Malm, Jacob Malm, Alexandra Joyce and Joshua Hunter; plus 13 great grandchildren, Curren LeCuyer, Isabella Setering, Xander Frost, Jackson, Shelby, Maverick Dial and Tyce Dial, Braden Sipe, Olivia McPherson, Keanna Merkens, Jayce Merkens, Charley Merkens, Sophia Malm, sister Grace (Jim) Kindvall of Brainerd, sisters-in-law Shirley Rea of Bloomington, Marilyn Day of CA, Linda (Wayne) Pudwill of Detroit Lakes, nieces and nephews. Lois is preceded in death by her parents, and infant brother and brother-in-law Earl Kjos. Rev. Keith Kolzow will officiate at a funeral service for Lois:11:00 am Saturday (4/25/15) at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church at Rush Point (600 Rush Point Dr. Stanchfield). A time of visitation and reviewal is planned for Friday evening from 5-8 pm at the Olson Chapel in Rush City and also an hour prior at the church. The interment will be in the Calvary Lutheran Northview Cemetery next to the church. Memorials may be directed to Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church. Funeral arrangements for Lois Kjos of Goose Lake are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City~ Olson Chapel. funeralandcremationservice.com