The funeral service for Myrtle Tukua will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church in Hartland. The Revs. Dennis Frank and Kent Otterman will officiate. Interment will be in Hartland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church.
Myrtle died on Monday, March 30, 2009, at the Good Samaritan Center in Albert Lea, where she had received very compassionate care. She was 87.
She was born on June 8, 1921, in Ransom County, N.D., the daughter of Emil J. and Lena (Johnson) Hatle. Both Myrtle’s parents had died before she reached the age of 14. She was fortunate to have caring, responsible, older siblings who helped to care and nuture her through her teen years. She graduated from high school in North Dakota, where she had played basketball, serving as captain of her team. In 1939 she moved back to Freeborn County, as it was the birthplace of her parents. She soon began working for Johnson Laundry and later had worked for NRHEG as a cook for several years.
On June 30, 1947, she was united in marriage to Eugene M. Tukua at the parsonage in Hartland. They made their home in Hartland.
She was a member of West Freeborn Lutheran Church until joining Cross of Glory Lutheran in Hartland in 1969, where she had served on the altar guild and was active in ladies’ aid.
She participated as an officer of the Legion Auxiliary, and in her “golden years” enjoyed the Hartland Senior Citizens group and had great passion for bingo. She so appreciated socializing with others.
The death of her parents at such a young age gave Myrtle a keen sense of family and she lived her life loving, caring for, and holding her family close.
Myrtle is survived by three children: Ellen and her husband Richard Chicos of New Richland, Karen Bergner of Mankato and Gene M. Tukua and his wife Karla of Hartland; eight grandchildren: Jennifer (Andy) Paulson of Mankato, Marcus Bergner of Sartell, Jay (Dana) Bergner of Rochester, Abbie Bergner and her fiancé Nick Kramer of Rice, Aaron (Lara) Chicos of Hartland, Anne (Lowell) Siewert of Brooklyn Park, Naomi (Chris) Mortensen of Mankato, Seth Tukua of Hartland; great- grandchildren: Hannah Bergner, Ty and Nora Beth Bergner, Cody Paulson, Delanie and Amelia Siewert, Riley Chicos and Audyn Mortensen; brother, Merle Hatle of Adams; brother-in-law, Ellsworth Tukua of Hartland; sister-in-law, Oriole Tukua of Hartland; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene in 2003; sisters: Agnes (Gullick) Boe, Ella (Henry) Himebaugh, Gladys (Gunther) Moen; brothers: John (Margaret) Hatle and Clarence Hatle; and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.