Anita June Ost

Anita Ost, of Montevideo, passed away Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Rosewood Assisted Living in Montevideo at the age of 86.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 11:00 AM at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Montevideo with Rev. Kent Borglum officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation with the family will be held Tuesday, October 29, 2019 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Anderson - TeBeest Funeral Home in Montevideo.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Anita June (Zielsdorf) Ost was born June 9, 1933, the first born child of Alfred and Mabel (Brummer) Zielsdorf at a hospital in Benson, Minnesota. Anita was baptized June 27, 1933, confirmed May 18, 1947 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Grace Township which was the religious home for the family in those years and, later also the place of her marriage.   Anita grew up on the family farm NE of the “Seventeen Mile Corner” neighborhood in Grace Township, Chippewa County, Minnesota, where the corner stores were gathering spots for sharing of current events and family activities by locals living nearby.

Anita attended elementary school grades 1-8 at a one room country school in Grace Township. Her education continued at Benson High School where she graduated in 1951.  Following graduation she utilized her high school studies and aptitudes for business related stenographic and bookkeeping skills for a variety of banking and office job opportunities where she lived whether it be in western Minnesota, Maryland or Alaska as she followed her husband’s U.S. Army assignments.

Anita endeared herself to others with her cheerful and witty personality in school, work, church and social activities.  Her church was very important to her and she was active with Lutheran church as Sunday school teacher, Ladies Aid, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League where for several years she was on boards of the Minnesota North District LWML.  She was at Houston Texas attending the National LWML convention when the Moon Landing was done in 1969.

Anita met Julius Ost, who turned out to be the love of her life, at a youth sponsored dance activity in Benson on Valentine’s Day, 1952.  They were married eleven months later January 10, 1953. A marriage that endured for over 66 years. That union produced two children, Carol June Ost and Bradley Julius Ost.   After arrival of first child, Anita was a stay at home mother from 1955 to the early 1970s when she began work as a receptionist at Brookside Manor.  Later she started working at the Chippewa County Courthouse, first in the recorder’s office, then the courts and then the license bureau where she was promoted to the director’s position, a position she held until her retirement in 1990.  At her various workplaces she thoroughly enjoyed the continuing contacts with the public and coworkers.

In Anita’s leisure she engaged in a variety of community venues at Senior Center as book club and senior writing and there was various sewing activities such as quilting, embroidery, cross stitching. She and husband Jule did volunteer work where they adopted maintenance of the post office building at the Chippewa County Historical Society.  The two of them enjoyed traveling by driving trips which they did by visiting all fifty states and Canada, seeking special destinations likely to be any of the National Parks.  Their international journeys took them to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the island republic of Fiji.

Except for the military time, Anita and Jule were lifetime residents of Chippewa County with most of that time at 1428 N 5th St. in Montevideo.  Anita loved to entertain and that showed as family relatives and friends enjoyed coming to their home for many special family gatherings for good food and fun.

Preceding Anita in death were her parents, Alfred and Mabel.  She is survived by her husband, Julius, her children Carol (Jon) Farchmin, Duluth, Minnesota;  son, Bradley (Janet) Ost, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Grandsons Kurt (Maggie) Farchmin, Matthew (Rita) Farchmin, Andrew Ost, Austin Ost; great grandsons, Anthony Farchmin, Marcus Farchmin, Henry Farchmin;  Great-granddaughters, Laura Farchmin and Evelyn Farchmin.  Also surviving are Anita’s sister, Alice Korn, Willmar, Minnesota  a brother, Robert (Linda) Zielsdorf, Benson, Minnesota  along with numerous nieces and nephews. Many of Anita’s surviving cousins live in Wisconsin.

Anita died October 26, 2019 at age 86. She suffered from Alzheimer disease and was handicapped by declining health prior to the time of her death.

Blessed be her memory.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to St. John’s Lutheran church.  With great appreciation, the Ost Family gives a sincere Thank You to the many folks engaged in Anita’s long term care needs, at Luther Haven, Home Front, and Rosewood Specialty Care. Anita and family are notably grateful for the compassionate professional guidance of Dr. Lana Dirksen.