Evelyn Minnie (Folkestad) Ostlie was born on January 12, 1929 in Blue Grass in Wadena Co., MN to Dewey and Minnie (Espelind) Folkestad. She moved with her family to Montevideo, MN, where she grew up, was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church and graduated from Montevideo High School in 1946. She attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis for two years, obtained her teaching certificate and taught at the District 13 and District 5 Schools in Chippewa Co. Later in life she received her B.A. in History from Southwest State in Marshall. On November 4, 1951 she was united in marriage to Clarence Ostlie at Trinity Lutheran Church in Montevideo. They lived and farmed in Rosewood Township until moving into Montevideo about five years ago. She was an active historian, serving as President, Secretary and Board Member of the Chippewa Co. Historical Society and honored in their Hall of Fame. She enjoyed membership in the Minnesota Historical Society and the Society of Local and Regional History. Her historical foci included Chief Red Iron, early Dakota Christian women, the “Immigrant Trunk” series and death customs of Norwegian Immigrants. She was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, its women’s group and Sunday School. Her diverse interests were also reflected in participating in the Sons of Norway, as a 4-H leader, as Secretary for the United Way, as a Crop Walk organizer and a member of a local Homemakers club. She enjoyed history and doing research, reading, going on nature walks, being the family genealogist and spending time with and supporting her family in all their endeavors.
She is survived by her husband Clarence; six children: Kenneth (and Norma) Ostlie of Shoreview, MN; Janet (and Robert) Leifeld of Rushford, MN; Brian (and Louise) Ostlie of Truman, MN; Wayne (and Michelle) Ostlie of Stillwater, MN; Paul (and Lori) Ostlie of Decorah, IA; and Karen (and Gregg) Pattison of Garden Grove, IA; sixteen grandchildren: Derrick and Kaitlin Ostlie; Dan and Jon Reis; Mitchell Leifeld; Andrew, Brittney, Seth, Krysta and Sarah Ostlie; Eric, James, Thomas and Dakota Ostlie; and Kyle and Katherine Pattison; two great grandchildren: Hunter and Kaia Reis; two brothers: Stanley Folkestad of Montevideo and Mark Folkestad of Minneapolis; two sisters: Lorraine Whidme of Richfield, MN and June (and Claus) Peterson of Montevideo; sisters in law: Kornelia Folkestad of Park Rapids, MN, Beverly Folkestad of Brooklyn Park, MN, Sylvia Lee of Dawson, MN and Lillian Ostlie of Montevideo and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers: Merald and Dewey Folkestad, a sisters-in-law, Doris Folkestad, Alice Ostlie and Maribelle Ostlie; by brothers-in-law: Ray Whidme, Roy Ostlie, Floyd Ostlie, Thornie Lee, and Earl Ostlie; by nephews: Theodore Ostlie and David Peterson and by nieces, Jane Folkestad and Cindy Pritchard.
Evelyn Ostlie died on Friday, August 23, 2013 at the Luther Haven Nursing Home at the age of 84. Blessed be her memory.