Gordon O. Harpestad, 81, Wells

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Gordon O. Harpestad, age 81 of Wells, died Monday, Oct. 11, 2004 at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 15, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wells. The Revs. Paul Baker and Megan Sander will officiate. Visitation will be held at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, and one hour prior to services on Friday at the church. Interment will be at the Rosehill Cemetery in Wells, with military honors by the Wells Color Guard.

Gordon Orvan Harpestad was born on March 29, 1923, in Barber Township, near Delavan, the son of Martin and Edith (Brewick) Harpestad. Gordon moved to Blue Earth with his family in 1929. He started school in Blue Earth. In 1941 Gordon went into the Civil Conservation Corps for three months and then worked on a farm near Blue Earth. On Nov. 6, 1942, he went into the Navy and after boot camp he was sent to Philadelphia, Pa., until his ship was ready for commission. On Dec. 11, 1944, the ship was sent to the Pacific Theater where they took part in the invasion of Luzon, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, Japan. They ended up in Tokyo Bay and came back to Norfolk, Va., and decommissioned his ship on Dec. 12, 1945. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 19, 1946. On May 9, 1949, Gordon and Leona Ehrich were united in marriage at the United Lutheran Church of Frost. Together they raised three children: Joyce, Judy and Dennis. Gordon was an original member of the Wells Ambulance squad. He was a milkman for 40 years, starting in Minneapolis in 1948, then moved to Blue Earth in 1949, and moved to Wells in January 1953. He retired in 1988. Gordon was an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Wells.

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He cherished his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Leona Harpestad of Wells; two daughters: Joyce and husband Lee Skaar of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Judy Harpestad of Wells; one

son, Dennis and wife Laura Harpestad of Minnetonka, Minn.; two grandchildren:

Gjert Skaar of Roseville, Minn., and

Kristin Skaar of Marshalltown, Iowa;one step-grandson, Andy Prady of Minnetonka, Minn.; one brother:

Everett and his wife Ardelle Harpestad of Apple Valley, Minn.; one sister,

Margaret Cohen of Hopkins, Minn.; many nieces and nephews; sister-in-law,

Elaine Ehrich; and brothers-in-law:

Elmer and Bernice Ehrich, Donald Ehrich and Gilbert and Ramona Ehrich

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers:

Eldean, Lavern and

Laurence;

and one sister, Emma Mae Whitbeck.