Gudrun H. Harstad

Gudrun Helene Harstad, a long-time resident of Mayville, ND, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Luther Memorial Home, Mayville, at the age of 94.

Gudrun was born in Mayville, on June 6, 1924, to Ole and Helen (Akre) Harstad. She was raised on a farm just south of town. She attended Mayville High School and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1945. She taught for a total of 39 years, working in several different schools in Minnesota and Montana.
Gudrun was privileged to work for two years in Norway as a Fulbright exchange teacher; when she returned to the States, she then worked four years as a dietitian at Mayville State Teachers College. Gudrun spent many summers working on her Master of Science Degree in Home Economics Education from North Dakota State University. She earned her master's in 1966 and continued teaching Home Economics to Jr and Sr High School girls.

Gudrun loved to travel and collect tea cups and jewelry from the countries she visited. Norway was her favorite place to vacation; after her time teaching there, she voyaged back multiple times. As the family historian, she loved to see the whole family together over a sumptuous meal which included many Norwegian dishes.

Gudrun never married but looked upon her nieces and nephews as her children, helping them in many ways as she thought best. She filled the rest of her time helping people in whatever way she could, by delivering Meals on Wheels, quilting for the Lutheran World Relief, taking her turn as host at the Heritage Center Museum in Mayville, plus calling Bingo and assisting the "Foot Nurse" at the Senior Center. She was involved in the leadership of Sons of Norway, Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and the Traill County Grantee Board, the governing board for the Senior Center. She volunteered with the Retired Teachers Group, who prepared meals at the Northland Rescue Mission in Grand Forks, ND. She attended the Bible studies at her church, joined the local library book club, and was involved with Elderhostel and classes at Mayville State University.

Sadly, a fire in 2016 burned part of her home, which had been in the family for over sixty years. This precipitated the sale of her home and her move to Sun Center, the assisted living portion of the Luther Memorial Home.

Gudrun is survived by her nieces and nephews, Ronald (Donna) Harstad, Cummings, ND; Julie (Dan) Boron, Plano, TX; Dale (Koreen) Harstad, Weimar, TX; Neil (Chris) Korsmo, West Branch, IA; and Jane (Bob) Winter, Grand Forks; and several great and great-great nieces and nephews also survive her. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Julian and Karsten Harstad; and her sister, Edith Korsmo.

Memorial gift suggestions are Mayville Lutheran Church Broadcast and Audiovisual Fund, Hospice of the Red River Valley, or Luther Memorial Home Activities Department.
A memorial service for Gudrun will be held in the chapel of the Luther Memorial Home, Mayville, on Thursday, April 18, at 4 PM, with visitation one hour before. Her funeral service will be held in Mayville Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at 2 PM, with visitation one hour before. Interment will be in the Mayville Cemetery.

Arrangements by Korsmo Funeral Service, Moorhead, MN.+