OBITUARY: Lars Gulbransen, 1863-1949, Mitchell County, Iowa




                         Lars Gulbransen

Lars Gulbransen, 85, died at his home in Mason City, Iowa Wednesday
morning, November 9, 1949 following a short illness.

Mr. Gulbrandsen was born in Norway on December 2, 1863 to Gulbrand and
Anna Wamstad Gulbransen.  He came to this country with his parents
when he was two years old.  They settled on a farm in Cedar Township,
Mitchell County, Iowa northeast of Nora Springs.  While a young man he
was engaged in the carpenter trade, and later entered the lumberyard
business.

He was married to Anna Matilda Thompson in the Rock Creek Lutheran
Church on December 9, 1894 and they established their first home in
Nora Springs.  They moved to Rudd in 1900 and he built the present
Rudd Lumber Yard, which was one of the first enclosed buildings in
the state used in that line of business.

Later they returned to Nora Springs, buying out the Charles Duston
Lumber Company.  He operated the yard about twenty years.  He sold
out and bought a farm two and a half miles west of Nora Springs, where
they lived until March 1926, at which time they moved to Mason City.

Mr. Gulbransen retired from active business except for his affiliation
with the First State Bank of Nora Springs, of which he had been vice-
president for more than 20 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Gulbransen celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on
December 9, 1944.  Mr. Gulbransen owned the first automobile in Floyd
County.

He was preceded in death by his wife on February 24 of this year; a
daughter Mabel in 1902; his parents, also in 1902 and by a brother,
Adolph, in 1938.  Survivors include: two daughters, Mrs. L.H. (Mae)
Snively of Gooding, Idaho, and Mrs. Joe V. (Lenore) Ludeman of Mason
City; one brother, Gilles of Northwood, ND; three sisters, Mrs. Oscar
Johnson of Park River, ND, Mrs. Matilda Dahlen and Mrs. Martha Olson,
both of Osage.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon in Mason City.  Pallbearers
were Allert Olson, Roy Funk, Alver Dahlen, Brede Wamstad, Tom Wamstad,
and Eugene Wamstad.  The officers and employees of the First State Bank
were in attendance.  Burial was in the Rock Creek Lutheran cemetery,
rural Osage.



       Copyright 2005, Steve Norby