Charlie Otteson

Charlie Otteson passed away Tuesday, April 26, 2005, at Lakewood Health System Care Center, Staples, where he had been a resident for over twenty years. He was 107 years old. A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30 at 11:00 at Faith Lutheran Church in Staples, with Rev. Stephen Sveom officiating. A reception will be held at the church following the service. Internment will be at Evergreen Hill Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made out to Lakewood Health System, Care Center.
Charles Elmer Otteson was born January 12,1898, in Clay Township near Humbolt, Iowa. He was the eighth and youngest child of Danish immigrants Otto Otteson and Laura Minnie Christine Larsen Otteson. Charlie grew up on several farms around Fort Dodge, Iowa. He and his mother lived with his older brother Pete after his father died when Charlie was only nine. Charlie married Mette Marie Jensen of Hjorring, Denmark at Badger, Iowa in l9l8. Their marriage lasted sixty-eight years until her death in l986. They gave birth to five children, eighteen grandchildren, forty-seven great grandchildren, and thirty-one great, great grandchildren. Charlie and Marie, along with his mother, their daughter Clara, and his brother Pete?s family moved to Evan, Minnesota in 1921 where they lived for five years. In 1926, after the death of his mother and their young son, Harold (Buster); Charlie, Marie, Clara, and baby Lloyd moved to a farm which they purchased near Nevis, Minnesota. A second daughter Elaine was born in 1930, and a son James, who only survived for six weeks, was born in 1936. In addition to his wife Marie and his two infant sons, his sons-in-law, Hugh Sanford and David Reinartz and six grandchildren preceded Charlie in death.

During the years at Nevis, Charlie was elected to the school board, serving as a director for a year and as chairman for six years. He drove the school bus for ten years. He also helped organize the Nevis Central Shipping Association, serving as its chairman for twelve years, and he served as township clerk for eleven years, and was township road- overseer, building two miles of new road through the woods. Charlie was very proud of a citation from President Roosevelt for selling War Bonds during World War II. He loved music and often played his violin or accordion for dances at the town hall. Charlie also loved hunting and fishing in the nearby woods and lakes and a game of cards.

In 1949, Charlie and Marie sold the Nevis farm, and he and Lloyd bought a 240 acre farm a mile north and west of Staples. Marie and Lloyd?s wife Teresa worked hard to remodel the old farmhouse. In 1953, Charlie was elected township assessor, serving for seven years, and then he continued as supervisor for eighteen more years. In 1963 the farm was sold to Lloyd, and Charlie was involved in a field chopper accident, which severed his left arm between the elbow and the wrist. The arm was successfully reattached at the University of Minnesota where he became a page in medical history! In 1966, undaunted by his accident, Charlie joined the Green Thumb. He served two years as a foreman for a crew of six and then was an area supervisor of fifteen crews for seven years. Charlie was elected to the Minnesota Advisory Board in 1970 and to the National Board in 1971. He enjoyed meetings in Hot Springs, Arkansas and in Washington, D.C., before retiring from his Green Thumb activities in 1973. Charlie moved to the United District Nursing Home (Lakewood Health System) to be near Marie in the mid 1980?s when she became too ill to live at home. There he enjoyed making things in the woodshop, playing cards with other residents, and visits from family members and friends. The family wishes to thank the staff of the nursing home, his Lutheran pastor, and his many friends for their kindness and caring. We will all miss our Grandpa Charlie, but his name will be carried on by his great-grandson Trevor Charles Otteson of Baudette, MN, great, great grandsons, Charles Otteson of Jordan, MN, Evan Charles Ballow, of Encinitas, CA, and Jaydin Charles Francis Myers of Remer, MN.