Eleanor Irene Siggerud

Eleanor Siggerud, age 90, of Barnesville, MN, died on Friday, March 21, 2025, at Pelican Valley Care Center in Pelican Rapids, MN.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, March 29, 2025, at St. James United Church of Christ in Barnesville with Rev. John Werner officiating. Burial will follow in Little Bethany Cemetery, rural Barnesville, MN.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM, Friday, March 28, 2025, at St. James United Church of Christ with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday.

Eleanor Irene Scheffler was born on March 30, 1934, to William Anton and Helena Irene (Fankhanel) Scheffler in Atherton Township, Wilkin County, MN. She attended country school District 139 for one year then onto to school in Barnesville. During high school she was in the band and chorus and graduated from Barnesville High School in 1952.

Following high school, Eleanor worked for the unemployment office for the State of Minnesota in Moorhead and later became one of the switchboard operators for the Barnesville Phone Company.

Eleanor’s friends Jackie Peet and Eldon Thompson set her up on a blind date with Stanley Siggerud. They dated and were married on April 5, 1953, and they started out their married life on the Siggerud farm, where they dairy farmed into the mid 1980’s. Eleanor would work as a bookkeeper at the Texas Home Gas Company and then off to Harvester to work as a secretary until their closing in 1970. Following this job changed Eleanor went to work as a secretary in the Barnesville High School.

For 42 years, she worked at the Oscar Park Insurance Company and served on their board of directors well into her 80’s. She became a licensed insurance agent in 1979. She also had the Night Owl Ceramic Shop from 1983-2004 where many came to build their own ceramics. She was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary and the Lions Club. She was also a member of the St. James Church, where she taught Sunday School, served as Guild President for a few years, and was President of the Church Council. She crocheted baby blankets and afghans for all the babies at St. James for many years. Eleanor moved into Barnesville in 2007 and lived there for 15 years before moving to assisted living in Pelican Rapids in 2022. Throughout her lifetime, she loved to read and garden. Stanley and Eleanor loved to go dancing on a Saturday night and also took pleasure in watching and feeding the birds and squirrels together. In her later years, Eleanor would sneak in trips to the casino, and she followed baseball with a fondness for the Minnesota Twins.

Eleanor is survived by one daughter Laurie (Craig) Andvik, Barnesville; two grandchildren, Missy (Jake) Klemin, Barnesville, Matt (Macey) Andvik, Fargo, seven great grandchildren, Connor and Ryker Klemin, Kyla Andvik, Wyatt Andvik, Payten Boseck-Andvik, Bryden Boseck-Andvik, and Cayson Andvik, special friend Jill Kluck, Pelican Rapids, several in laws, MaryAnn Scheffler, Barnesville, Fran Beyer, Barnesville, John (Maggie) Swenson, Fargo, Deb (Harry) Nelson, Detroit Lakes, MN; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Stanley in 2007, daughter Judy in 2023, siblings: Pearl Loyal, Lloyd (Dorothy) Scheffler, Wilbert Scheffler, in laws Rube Beyer, Charles (Linda) Siggerud, Vernon (Maxine) Anderson, and Virginia (Leroy) Klovstad.