Ada Mae Anderson

Ada May Anderson, 97, of South Beloit, IL, was born May 15, 1920 on a dairy farm by South Oscar Lake, Holmes City Township, Douglas County, Minnesota, the daughter of Hans and Ida (Roby) Paulson.  At the age of 4, tragedy struck the Paulson family as her father was killed by a bull, leaving her Mom with five children and a farm to run.  The oldest, Paul, age 16, took over the farm.

Ada was baptized and confirmed at Oscar Lake Lutheran Church.  She attended rural Oscar Lake School, District #29, through 8th grade and graduated from Alexandria High School.

On September 28, 1938 at the Paulson farm, Ada was wed by Rev. Sheldahl to Norman Lawrence Anderson.  They were married for 54 years until Norman passed away in 1992.  They lived on the Anderson family farm by Pocket Lake along with her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Emma and Ole N. Anderson until Ole passed away in 1941.  Emma stayed until 1948 when Norman had a home built for her and his brother, Oliver Anderson, in Holmes City, MN.  Norman and Ada retired in 1970 when they moved to Holmes City where they had built a new home.

Ada was very active in Trinity Lutheran Church, Holmes City, and served in different offices of the Ladies Aid, Superintendent of the Sunday School for over 10 years (for which she received a pin thanking her for her many years of service), and with all events held at the church.

Ada loved to bake!  In 1966 she started making lefse for the grocery stores in Alexandria.  In 1983 the Park Region Echo Newspaper, Alexandria, wrote an article about her lefse making.  She then became known as The Lefse Lady.  She stated in the article that she used 470 lbs. of instant potatoes, 87-1/2 lbs. of salt, 1,050 lbs. of lard, 175 lbs. of sugar and 700 lbs. of flour that year to fill all the orders.  She was known for her bread, buns, caramel rolls, raised doughnuts, date-filled cookies and baked beans made with side pork.  One year her brother-in-law, Roosevelt, brought her 55 lbs. of navy beans he had raised.  She loved her flower gardens in Holmes City.  

Since they lived on the Anderson family farm, many weekends were filled with Anderson families' surprise visits.  Ada always had more than enough food for everyone.  Her hobbies were reading, knitting and crocheting.  In her later years she won many ribbons at the Douglas County Fair for her baking, doilies and dresser scarves.

In her later years, she purchased a home in Alexandria and then later to Bethal Manor.  She was then a member of Calvary Lutheran Church, Alexandria.  In 2016, Glenn, her son, became her caregiver in his home in South Beloit, Illinois until her move to River Bluff Nursing Home in Rockford, IL where she passed away on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at the age of 97.

Ada is survived by her son, Glenn (Marian Galstar) Anderson of  South Beloit, IL; daughter, Cheryl (Larry Zarbok) Chan of Lowry, Minnesota; grandchildren, Cindy Moll, Jerry Anderson, Joe (Samantha) Zwieg, Kyle (Carolyn) Chan and Kent (Annie) Chan; great-grandchildren, Travis Anderson, Ashley Larem, Abagail Zwieg, Ashley Zwieg, Lauren Chan, Leah Chan and Jada Chan; great-great-grandchild, Hayden Strehlow; foster daughter, Darlene Roiland of Mound, Minnesota; foster grandchildren, Mark Roiland and Lynn Robertson.  

Predeceased by her parents; siblings, Paul Paulson, Muriel (Oliver) Omland, Irvin (Ruth) Paulson, Arlene (Harold) Roiland and Fern Halstead; son-in-law, Orville Chan; foster son, Thomas Roiland; foster grandson, Scott Roiland.

At a later date a service will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church, Alexandria, Minnesota.  Burial will be in Van Loon Cemetery, Holmes City Township.

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