Funeral services for William J. Gjersvik, age 98, of Albert Lea, formerly of Manchester, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Silver Lake Lutheran Church, rural Northwood, Iowa. The Rev. Steve Smith will officiate. Interment will be in the Silver Lake Cemetery. Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at the Bayview/ Freeborn Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the services at the church.

Bill died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002, at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Albert Lea.

William J. Gjersvik was born Sept. 9, 1904, to Lars and Mathilda Gjersvik on the family farm on the island of Tysnes, Norway. He came to the United States by himself in 1921 at the age of 16. Bill worked as a wheels man on an ore carrier on the Great Lakes as a young man. He attended Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. On Feb. 17, 1929, Bill was united in marriage to Laura Ovidia Larson at her parents’ home in Nunda Township. The couple farmed in the Emmons/ Twin Lakes area until 1939 when they moved to their Manchester farm. He had been a District 136 school board member and was a former member of the Manchester Township Board. Bill and Laura had also been members of West Freeborn Lutheran Church before joining Silver Lake Lutheran Church in the late 1980s. He moved to Knutson Place in 1991. Bill had a beautiful voice and loved music. He was active for many years in the West Freeborn Lutheran Choir.

Survivors include his children: Lorraine (Bangert) Dillavou of Freeborn, Wilbur Gjersvik and his wife Carol of Eden Prairie, Margaret Berntsen and her husband Floyd, also of Eden Prairie, Franklin Gjersvik and his wife Pat of Manchester, Kenneth Gjersvik and his wife Jan of Altoona, Iowa, Darlene Albright and her husband Dennis of Mapleton, and Lloyd Gjersvik and his wife Cathy of Eden Prairie; grandchildren: LeAnn, Laurie, Randy, Cindy, Michael, Michelle, Paul, Jeffrey, Lisa, Brett, Kristen, Theron, Neal, William, Perry, Mitch, Eric, Tony, Kelly, Aaron, Matthew, and Sara; 44 great-grandchildren; and sisters: Ragnild Osterbye and Agnes Berge, both of Tysnes, Norway.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Laura; great-granddaughter, Lindsey Dahl; sons-in-law: Harold Bangert and Lee Dillavou; brothers: Ingvald, Magnus and Jergan; and sisters: Anna, Borghild, Lina, Martha and Ida.