Loretta Mae Tostenrud

Loretta Mae Tostenrud was born on March 21, 1927, in Lynd Township in Lyon County, MN, the daughter of Robert and Helen (Matthews) Mellenthin.  She graduated from Lynd Public School in 1945.  Loretta continued her education at Minneapolis Business College and worked as a secretary.  She was united in marriage to Donald Tostenrud on October 30, 1948, in Marshall, MN.  They lived in Minneapolis while Don finished college and Loretta worked at the business college until June of 1949.  They moved to Lakefield where she worked for the Lakefield ASC office.  They moved to Springfield in January 1957.  After her children were all in school Loretta worked at St. John's Lutheran Church for 10 years and later at St. John Lutheran Home for 21 years, retiring in 1998.  Loretta was a member of the Legion Auxiliary, Chiropractic Auxiliary and the 20th Century Study Club.  She enjoyed playing Bridge, study club, WELCA at church, watching and listening to birds, entertaining, decorating her home, listening to music and being a Sunday school teacher.

Loretta died on May 8, 2025, at St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield at the age of 98.

She is survived by her children - Steven (Pauline) of Billings, MT, David (Jill) of New Ulm, MN, and Barbara (Robert) Garrett of Chandler, AZ; a son-in-law - Dick Wittenberg formerly of Thief River Falls, MN; grandchildren - Paul (Jenny), Teresa (Brad), Mary (Mathew), Leah, Meredith, and Michael (Iris); and great grandchildren - Joshua, Madison, Liam, Robin, Gemma, Tayvin, Jett, and Catherine.  She was preceded in death by her parents - Robert and Helen Mellenthin; husband - Donald Tostenrud; daughters - Linda Tostenrud and Deborah Wittenberg; siblings - Elizabeth Morphew and Gertrude Cowling.