Avonne M. Trelstad

Avonne M. Trelstad, 91, of Moorhead, MN, passed away Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Serenity Assisted Living in Dilworth, MN.

Avonne Margaret Lecy was born on August 25, 1931, in Winger, MN, to Anna and Alfred Lecy. Her mother passed away when she was only three years old from gall bladder complications, leaving her four older brothers (Everett, Floyd, Art and Sanford) and one younger sister (Maxine) motherless.  Avonne and Maxine spent many summers in the care of aunts and uncles as they grew up in the little town of Winger.  When she was fourteen, her father remarried and she gained another brother (Tim) and two more sisters (Juanita and Karen Beth).

Avonne loved to read and recalled sending for “Gone With The Wind” when she was just a teen from the library in Minneapolis, MN, and read it several times. She became a fan of baseball, listening to games on the radio with her Uncle Clarence and others. She also loved to sew and sewed cheerleading outfits for herself and the team at her high school in McIntosh, MN, where she graduated.  She also loved music and playing piano.

She married Maynard Trelstad from Rindahl, MN, on November 3, 1951. They lived on the family farm near Madison, MN, for about three years where sons, John and Mark were born. In late 1955, they moved to Bagley, MN, where son Lynn was born before moving to Twin Valley in 1958. Son, Pete and daughters, Jeanne and Jill were born while living there, filling out the family of six kids.  With Maynard in sales and often away, Avonne tended to all the needs of six very active children…cooking, cleaning, bathing, comforting, sewing most of their clothes, nurturing and loving. 

In 1965, the family moved to Moorhead and with children now older, Avonne took great pleasure working at Kendel’s clothing store for women and doing alterations for her many beloved customers. Later, she worked at Archie’s store in Dilworth and loved working in the gallery, arranging displays with her artistic talents. She loved her co-workers with whom she would gather for weekly Monday coffee sessions for many years after. She also loved to paint with oils and left several cherished paintings for the family to enjoy.

As she grew older, macular degeneration gradually took most of her vision. That didn’t deter her from following her Twins games however, and she listened to most of them each summer – along with Vikings and Bison football games. She wore her team colors on game days and delighted having her kids over to enjoy with her.

In her later years, she proudly claimed the title of “Chief Worrier” and always needed to know where her kids were when the weather turned questionable. Always humble, she cherished her great friends in addition to her family.

Avonne is survived by her sister, Karen Beth Schimanski; sons, John, Mark, Lynn (Michelle) and Pete; and daughters, Jeanne (Loren) and Jill; eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Avonne’s Life will be 1:00 PM, Friday, June 23, 2023, in Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead with a Gathering of Friends one hour prior to the Celebration.   The Burial will take place in Prairie Home Cemetery, Moorhead.

(Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead, MN)