Florence Craigmile, of Dawson, died Wednesday, February 22, 2012, at the Johnson Memorial Hospital in Dawson, at the age of 93.
Funeral service was at 1:30PM, Saturday, February 25, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church in Dawson with Pastor Bruce Rodrick and Pastor Steve Maas(Antelope Hills Christian Church) officiating; the scripture lessons were Psalm 19:1-9, Ecclesiastes 3:1-14, 7:12, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Psalm 113:3 and Genesis 8:22; organist, Florence Gebur played “For The Beauty of the Earth” as the processional and “O God Our Help In Ages Past as the processional and accompanied Mary Wager and Barb Schoberg sing a duet of “Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere” and the singing of the hymns “Abide With Me” and “Rock Of Ages.” The casketbearers were: Ben Nygaard, Chris Nygaard, Michael Thompson, Robert Miller, Brian Mixdorf, and Derrick Femrite. Interment was in the Dawson Cemetery.
Visitation was at the Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson on Friday from 5:00-7:00 PM, with a prayer service at 7:00.
Florence Ruth Craigmile was born December 20, 1918 to Alfred and Anna Westby Butler in Dawson, MN. Florence’s mother passed away when she was a month old from the 1918 flu epidemic and her father was severely afflicted. Florence was adopted when she was two months old by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Miller of Dawson. She attended and graduated from Dawson High School in the class of 1938. Florence married Donald Craigmile June 17, 1944 and they pursued grain and livestock farming in Maxwell Township southeast of Dawson. After Donald passed away in 1980 Florence continued to live on the farm until 2008.
Florence is a member of Antelope Hills Christian Church, rural Canby, where she was active in Bible Study Groups, Vacation Bible School and music. Florence was also a member of the local Homemakers Group and the Lac qui Parle Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. Her other interests were piano, gardening, nature study and reading, especially pioneer and Civil War history.
Florence and Donald were blessed with two children: David (Pat) Craigmile of Boyd and Barbara (Brian) Prellwitz of Starbuck. Grandchildren: Jessica (Brian) Mixdorf, Martha (Derrick) Femrite, Benjamin Nygaard and Christopher Nygaard. Great-grandchildren: Claire and Adam Femrite and Ethan Mixdorf. Florence is survived by her sister, Irene Thompson, cousin, Helen Haverberg, and sister-in-law Bonieta Miller.
Florence was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald, September 3, 1980; brother, George Miller and sister, Rachel LeVasseur.
Blessed be her memory.
Memorials are preferred to the Lymphedema Foundation.