Violet Thorkelson

Violet Meta Lepler Thorkelson was born on March 21, 1917 near Clara City, Minnesota, to John and Justine Niemeyer Lepler. She was baptized at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clara City, Minnesota. She attended a country school and then High School in Clara City.On November 10, 1940, Vi married Burnett W. Thorkelson at the Parsonage in Clara City and moved to Granite Falls, Minnesota. She was a faithful member of Granite Falls Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Some of her other activities at church included assisting in the library, WELCA and Circle. She also helped with the Cub Scouts for several years. Vi also worked as an Occupational Therapist at the Granite Falls Hospital and Manor and was active in the hospital auxiliary. She was a tireless volunteer.Violet was renowned for her lefse, krumkake, rosettes, and spritz cookies and loved entertaining family and friends in Granite Falls and at their home on Green Lake. Her door was always open for afternoon visits from friends for coffee and sweets. Crafts, knitting and crocheting, Christmas ornaments, layettes, and quilting were just a few of her numerous hobbies. She was proud of her flower and vegetable gardens, and she spent weeks canning and filling her fruit room with delicious foods that were enjoyed all winter.Her greatest treasure in life was her family. She was devoted to her husband and their five sons and was a respected and loved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother.Violet Thorkelson died on October 31, 2013 at the Granite Falls Manor at the age of 96.Surviving are her children; Keith (Barb) of Minneapolis, Douglas (Janet) of Roatan, Honduras, John (Jan) of Edina, Paul (Jane) of Granite Falls, and Roger (Donna) of Hastings; 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Justine and John Lepler, her husband Burnett, two brothers August and John and their wives, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and extended family.Memorials are preferred to the Granite Falls Manor and Granite Falls Lutheran Church.Vi, you were a treasure to us, and you will be forever missed and remembered.