Myrtle Inez (Blom) Thorson

Inez Thorson, of Milan, died on October 19, 2000 at the Appleton Nursing Home at the age of 98.

Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 at 1:30 PM at Kviteseid Lutheran Church in Milan, MN with Rev. Wayne Anderson officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be  for one hour prior to services at the church.

Myrtle Inez (Blom) Thorson was born on the home farm, that is now a century farm, in Big Bend Twp. of Chippewa Co., MN on September 12, 1902 to Edward and Anne (Olson) Blom.  She was baptized by Rev. O.E. Solseth at Immanuel Lutheran Church, where her great grandfather - Hans Paulson Blom, her grandfather - Paul Hanson Blom, a great uncle - Gunder Blom and great uncle - Lars Saxberg were charter members.  Another great grandfather - Ole Haagenson, a grandfather - Helmer Olson and an uncle - Julius Olson also settled in Big Bend Township in 1869.  She was confirmed at Big Bend Lutheran Church.  She attended the Blom and Christenson rural schools,  graduated from Montevideo High school in 1922 and completed her Normal Training in Montevideo in 1923.  During 1923-24 she was employed at the Farness Dist #2, 1924-25 she taught at the Christenson School Dist #50 and 1925-26 at Big Bend District #17.  Although her teaching career was short, throughout her life many of her former students would come by to reminisce.  One of her greatest regrets in life was that she never got to finish her teaching degree.

On August 15, 1926 she was united in marriage to Henry Thorson, the son of Thor and Bertha Thorson  at Immanuel Lutheran Church.  After their marriage they moved into a new home in Milan, which remained her home for almost 70 years.  Henry worked at Anderson’s Department Store for 6 years and in 1931 bought a grocery business from Hjalmer Moe.  Inez was an active partner in this business for 28 years.  The also sold seed corn and Henry was secretary/treasurer of the Milan Mutual Telephone Co and was city Assessor.  Inez was active in all these activities and many a night they sat at the dining room table making entries into the assessor’s book or balancing books.  Inez was also active in the Milan Women’s Club, Kviteseid Ladies Aid (president 3 times ands was chair of the Lutefisk/Meatball supper), taught Tuesday School, home schooled Donald Hermanson and was a 4H leader for 10 years.  She served 6 years on the Chippewa Co-Montevideo Hospital Board and the Red Cross.  She worked as an enumerator for 2 censuses and for 50+ years enjoyed her birthday club.  She shared her husband’s interest in politics and together attended 2 Governor’s Inaugural Balls and once entertained Gov. Luther Youngdahl and his wife for dinner at their home.  In her eighties she traveled to Norway, England and Scotland.

She is survived by a daughter - Helen (Gerald) Steel of Starbuck, MN; grandchildren - Tom Steele of Chanhassen, MN and Mary Steele of Fridley, MN and a nephew - Robert Blom and family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Henry, a brother - Paul Blom and an infant sister.