Inspired Media

Margaret Halvorson Stortz (passed away at 92 March 21, 2014)

Interviewed by grandson Benji Nichols

Margaret was born in the fall of 1921 and grew up farming in rural Decorah. Through a life that has spanned horses and buggies and speaking Norwegian, she still values family, comfort food, and a bottomless cup of coffee.

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My Dad (Hans & Mabel Halvorson) gave me lots of good advice – he was a schoolteacher when he was younger and then farmed. I always liked: “Take what you can eat, and eat everything you take.” We grew up in a time when there wasn’t always much extra.

What do/did you do in life?

I was a farm wife. We milked cows twice a day and raised four kids – Diane, Beverly, Lauren, and Lowell. I can remember getting up very early from a young age to milk – I was often the first one up in the house.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

My coffee pot (ready to brew!), my orange coffee mug, and some good homemade cookies!

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Meatballs, mashed potatoes, and Lefse. Maybe a good piece of pumpkin pie too!

Name one thing you could not live without.

My Relatives. I have a good family.

Tell us about… Your wedding day.

Virgil & I were married on May 5, 1946. I didn’t get married until I was 24 as I just really thought I should keep helping on my folks’ farm. We jumped right into our own farming as well.

Your first job.

I can remember doing chores on the farm since I was very young, so that would have been my first job. I graduated from the 8th grade and went right to work, like a lot of folks then. I worked at Barges Café in Decorah when I was young, and also did housework and helped take care of kids. I think I worked for all of the Ronans at one time or another!

Your favorite memory.

There are many. I have great memories from all the time I spent with my sister Ruth. She graduated from 8th grade and left home right away to work for others, so I missed her when I was young. We kept up all through life and enjoyed our visits. I also recall anytime my Dad’s relatives would visit – they only spoke Norwegian and expected we would do the same. When I first went to school I remember trying to speak English and accidentally slipping in Norwegian words and getting laughed. My Dad’s Uncle, Evan “Shorty” Boe also used to own an ice cream parlor in Decorah. When my Uncle Andrew would visit from Chicago he would take us out for ice cream – it was a big deal and the only times we had ice cream as kids.

Armella passed away October 2, 2017 , at the age of 91. Our thoughts and condolences go out to her family, friends, and loved ones.

Armella Zweibohmer, 87 and loving life! Interviewed by granddaughter Mary Jane Wenthold

Armella’s life in Northeast Iowa has been blessed by children and family! With 11 siblings and nine children of her own, she has 29 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren in her loving bunch!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A mom, I always wanted a bunch of kids. Growing up I was the oldest of 12 children so there were babies around all of the time. It’s amazing all of my siblings are still living, I am 87 years old and my youngest siblings are 66 years old.

What do/did you do?

I love babies and always wanted to be a mom. I was 19 years old when I married the neighbor boy, Gustave Zweibohmer, in October of 1945. We had nine children together and their names are James, Mary Jane, Ron, Dale, Karen, LouAnn, Jean, Michelle and Joan. We raised our kids on a farm. I gardened, sewed, and the kids were in 4-H.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

My cell phone, water, and some kind of food.

Try to describe yourself in one sentence.

I love people and have to be around people.

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Banana or apple

Name one thing you could not live without.

A picture of my husband Gus.

Multiple choice: tell us about…

Your first job: At the age of 16 I was hired by the Swenson family of Clermont to take care of their baby, cook and clean. When I wasn’t working for the Swenson’s I worked seasonally at Decorah Produce picking chickens.

Your favorite memory: In 1944 when my neighbor, Gus, was honorably discharged from World War II. We had kept in touch over the three years he had been away in the service. Gus came home and found me out in the field picking corn; it was there he proposed.

Interviewed by Benji Nichols

Dr. Richard Simon Hanson grew up in rural Wisconsin with a love of farm life that has led a journey of learning, teaching, and sharing. He was ordained, received his Ph.D. from Harvard University, and is a Professor Emeritus of Religion at Luther College where he taught for almost 40 years. He and his wife, Rita, were married for over 55 years and had four children throughout their life’s adventures. A highly respected storyteller, Chaplin, caregiver, mentor, and educator, Richard Simon now spends many days a week volunteering and visiting with those giving and receiving skilled, nursing home, and hospice care. He was a member of the Dead Sea Scrolls archaeology and translation team, and was awarded the Carnegie Foundation ‘US Professor of the Year Award’ for Iowa in 1998. He is the author of several theological and related works, including his own translation of the Book of Psalms. Hanson is also featured in the eight-part DVD series “How the Bible Happened” which was hosted by the NE Iowa Unitarian Universal Fellowship.

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I grew up on a farm in rural St. Croix County Wisconsin, and my father explained things very well, so there was a lot of good advice. “Always tell the truth,” although… At least I started off with good advice! My father also always said, “When opportunity comes, then maybe it’s time to jump.” That suited me well through the years.

How about the worst advice?

Oh, you know, you do and don’t follow advice.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Because farming was so much fun, I was going to be a farmer – what a life! But it didn’t occur to me until I was a bit older that our 72-acre farm would barely support a family. At 16 or 17 I thought, “No, I love to learn.”

What do/did you do?

I had taken to Latin on my own, and was interested in music, which I majored in at Luther College, with minors in German and Greek. I loved directing choirs and led many throughout my years, including the Schola Cantorum my senior year while Weston Noble was directing the Nordic Choir. And I wanted to keep learning, so I went to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, learned and taught Hebrew – much of it on my own, got my masters, and then had the opportunity to continue my doctoral studies at Harvard. The Dead Sea Scrolls had just been found and it was a very exciting time. In the time shortly after WWII there were not as many doctoral degrees, and we had the opportunity to look at moving to Indonesia, Israel, and other locations with our children – and there was also an option at Luther, which we took, partially due to the proximity of our families, and our own growing family.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

Another person! Fresh water, and local edibles.

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Oatmeal. It’s very balanced – and growing up on a farm, you learn it has the highest protein among the grains.

Name one thing you could not live without.

Water. It is profoundly important.

Multiple choice: tell us about… Your wedding / engagement day!

I got through Luther College – too poor to date. In Minneapolis though, there was a nurse that I met who invited me to dinner with her three roommates. She had a fabulous chicken dinner which I thought she had cooked, and then I found out it was actually her roommate, Rita, that had cooked it. I was smitten. We dated a bit, and then I had a summer job in Thief River Falls. I spent all my money on an engagement ring. Really, I knew the church would have some leftovers, and I had a place to stay – I had very little money. Outside of Elk River there was a pretty spot above a lake that I had found and it was there that I asked Rita to marry me. We were so excited. I figured I would finish seminary and we’d get married in a year or two, but Rita’s mother and friends had other ideas – she was also three years older than me! A completely homemade wedding happened on September 2, 1954. We spent the morning picking flowers and ferns for the ceremony, and Rita had found a used wedding dress. When it got to ceremony time, I was almost panicked not knowing if I was ready, but I said ‘I do’. 50 years later, while Rita was at Aase Haugen with Parkinson’s, I decided we should re-do our vows. We brought down her dress and I read our vows out loud. It was quite special – and I said “Rita, this time I really do mean it!”