Mildred Alsaker

Mildred C. Alsaker, 91, Rosholt, SD, died Monday, November 8, 2010, at the Rosholt Care Center in Rosholt.
Funeral services were Friday, November 12, at 3:00 p.m. at Bethania Lutheran Church in Rosholt with Rev. Nancy Quatier officiating. Music was provided by Kathy Helm, Lana Sand, and Mildred's grandchildren.
Burial was in the Trondhjem Cemetery, rural Rosholt. Pallbearers were Mildred's grandchildren, Brent and Adam Silkey, Aaron, Jason and Annie Knudsen, Joelle Hofer, Karen Martin, Sally Larsen, Kelly Shay, Jessica Hutchinson, Cody Alsaker, Billy, Casey and Leah Alsaker, and Isaac and Ben Leonhardi.
Visitation was Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt, and continued Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Mildred Cecilia Alsaker was born in Zybach, TX, on October 22, 1919. When she was 16 months old, she moved with her family to northern Minnesota, and she grew up in the Lindford community near Littlefork. She was the oldest of the three children of Hjalmar and Helen (Johnson) Marklund. Mildred attended school in Littlefork graduating from Littlefork High School in 1937. Following graduation, she worked as office manager for Montgomery Ward in both Ely and International Falls. One of her tasks at an interim job was ironing shirts for the great Chicago Bears player, Bronco Nagurski.
On June 1, 1945, Mildred married Henry Alsaker of rural Rosholt in Littlefork. Their romance developed when Henry went to northern Minnesota deer hunting and Mildred came to Wheaton to visit her grandparents. While Mildred loved living on the South Dakota prairie, part of her heart remained in the north woods of Minnesota. Mildred was a busy farm wife and mother, who also cared for aging parents and parents-in-law. From 1969 to 1984, she was business manager for the Rosholt School District. She was an active volunteer at both church and the Rosholt Care Center.  Quilting was a special hobby, and each of her grandchildren has a quilt made just for them.
Mildred is survived by her children, Carol (Doug) Silkey of Burnsville, MN, Lois (Ted) Knudsen of Burnsville, Ruby (Jim) Larsen of Rosholt, Dayton (Lisa) Alsaker of Sheridan, WY, Curt (Susie) Alsaker of Rosholt, and Eunie (Steve Leonhardi) Alsaker of Winona, MN; 16 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; 3 step great-grandchildren; brother, Arthur Marklund of Littlefork; sister, Vina (Kermit) Alsaker of Rosholt; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Henry; and granddaughter, Amy Larsen.