OBITUARY: O. Evelyn Gordon, 1913-2002, Mitchell County, Iowa O. Evelyn Gordon [ The Northwood Anchor online - July 09, 2002 - www.northwoodanchor.com ] O. Evelyn Gordon, 89, Carpenter, Iowa, died Wednesday, July 3, 2002 at the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, in Mason City. Funeral services were Saturday at the Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter, with Rev. Kathy Larson officiating. Burial was at the Deer Creek Cemetery. Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood, was in charge of arrangements. Evelyn was born in Montpelier, ND on Feb. 28, 1913, the fourth daughter of Bendick and Hilda (Erickson) Holstad. She was baptized April 27, 1913 at Montpelier Lutheran Church. At five years of age, she moved with her parents to a farm west of Northwood and was confirmed at Shell Rock Lutheran Church west of Northwood. She graduated from Northwood High School in 1932 and went on to teach in the Hartland and Grove Township rural schools for five years. Evelyn married Roy Gordon on June 13, 1937 at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter. They have two sons and two daughters. Evelyn was active in Deer Creek Lutheran Church for 65 years. She was a member of all the womens' church groups, sang in the church choir and small groups, taught Sunday School and Bible School for many years, held many offices in womens' circle and aid, and was financial secretary of the church. Roy and Evelyn lived in Carpenter their entire married life, except for a few years spent working the Gordon farm. She was employed by the United States Government for 20 years at the Carpenter post office, serving as postmaster for eight years. While raising her family, she was a substitute teacher in the Carpenter Consolidated School District. Evelyn was a lifetime learner, historian, card shark, crossword puzzle, fisherwoman and traveler. During her last years spent in St. Ansgar, she enjoyed her old and newfound friends at the St. Ansgar Senior Center. Her greatest passion was being surrounded by family and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Roy; parents; brothers, Marvin and Irving Holstad and two sisters, Gilma Holstad and Julia Stumo. Survivors include two sons, Robert and Sharon (Hanson) Gordon of Spirit Lake, IA and Bruce and Carol (Severson) Gordon of Grundy Center, IA; two daughters, Mrs. John (Ruth) Rollefson of Ann Arbor, MI, Mrs. Ken (Marjean) Hoeg, Prior Lake, MN; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; one brother, Aldon Holstad, Glenville; five sisters, Mrs. Jewel (Lillian) Thompson of Northwood, Mrs. Curtis (Luella) Leidall of Northwood, Mrs. Leon (Burnette) Sanderson of Glenville, Mrs. Max (Mildred) Patterson of St.Ansgar, Mrs. Stan (Idena) Hagen of Plymouth, MN and Dorothy Holstad, sister-in-law of Austin, MN. Copyright (c) 2005 by Kermit Kittleson (Note: Not necessarily related to the subject of this obituary.)