Lars E. Flokketvedt (1835-1911)

FLOKKETVEDT, HOIUM

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/16/2025 at 22:21:00

From Jewell Record August 17, 1911 (page 4)

OBITUARY

Lars E. Flokketvedt was born in Norway on a place called Flokketvedt, at the parish of Etna, July 29th, 1835. He spent his childhood days under the care of his parents ho instructed him as a child at home. And he also enjoyed the privilege of the common schools. He was a young man endowed with good mental ability and for this reason he was pointed out to become a teacher in public schools. He did not feel that he was qualified sufficiently for this position, but nevertheless he had to yield to the opinion of others and especially to the pastor of the parish. He then received some private instruction from a "Seminarist," an advanced teacher who had had his training from the Seminary or Normal school. With these qualifications he started in as a teacher in the public school and continued for nine years. The pastor of his parish, Rev. Holterman, recommended him very highly as a teacher of ability and as a noble Christian man.

In the year 1865 he married Miss Anna O. Hoium. He then received his father's farm where he spent the first five years of his married life. Influenced by the growing emigration to America from his community, the thought entered his mind to proceed to seek his fortune in the new world. In the year 1870 he left his fatherland and came first to Roland, Iowa. Since then he has spent the most of this time on a little farm near Randall, Iowa. Thirteen years ago he left his farm and settled down in Jewell, where he has lived ever since. As a newcomer he affiliated himself with the Norwegian Synod congregation at Story City. Later on he left this church and joined the Hauge Synod church at Randall. When he came to Jewell he joined Bethesda Norwegian Lutheran church where he has been a faithful member until the time of his death. While he possessed much mental ability he was not very strong bodily and for this reason he could not take part in the activities of pioneer life. Instead, he has taken an important part in the spiritual up-building of the church. His life work has not netted him a large share of this world's goods, but in riches that are eternal he had prospered abundantly. When we think of his long activity as a parochial school teacher and his active work in the congregation we can truly say that he has not spent his life in vain: the testimony of his daily living proving his worth to the community in which his lot was cast. He never was known to complain, but always thanked his God for the blessings that were his, and was rich in the ability always to be contented.

Thursday, August 3rd, he was paralyzed and from the stroke he did not recover, sinking gradually weaker and weaker until death cam Tuesday, the 8th, at 5:30 in the afternoon. The funeral services were held at the Bethesda Lutheran church last Friday afternoon at two o'clock conducted by the pastor and the body was laid at rest in the Evergreen cemetery. He leaves to mourn his loss his wife, one sister in Norway, and hosts of friends in the vicinity who sincerely mourn the departure of a good citizen and neighbor. While his death was a gain to him it was a loss to us. He was a pillar of the church of God and his loss leaves a large vacancy. But it is done by the Lord and we must thank him who gave and also because he has taken away, trusting that some one will fill the vacant place in the struggling ranks of the Lord on earth.

May the surviving widow find consolation and strength in the Lord in the loneliness of her old age.
C. J. Eastvold.