Lisa Vogelsang, 1965-2016

Published 9:39 am Monday, November 7, 2016

Lisa Lynn (Braund) Vogelsang passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Friday, Nov. 4, 2016 at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester after a courageous, hard-fought, and grace-filled battle with ovarian cancer. She was 51.

She was born on March 27, 1965, in Albert Lea, the youngest of Keith and Alice (Hamson) Braund’s three children. Lisa was baptized on April 25, 1965, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kiester by the Rev. Jerome Bangert and confirmed on May 4, 1980, by the Rev. Allan Nelson at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Kiester. She graduated from Kiester High School with the class of 1983. She continued her education at Albert Lea Vocational Technical Institute receiving her legal secretarial degree in 1984.

Lisa Vogelsang

Lisa Vogelsang

Lisa married her high school sweetheart and soulmate, Todd Vogelsang, on June 23, 1984, at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Kiester. The Rev. John Malm performed the ceremony.

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Lisa began working at Grace Lutheran Church in 1984, where she was office manager for more than 32 years before retiring. She always thought of the church congregation as her second family and Grace as her second home.

She enjoyed camping throughout Minnesota with her husband, Todd, spending time outside in the sunshine, quiet moments at home, and any activity that involved spending time with her family. Above all else, her greatest enjoyment and the brightest light in her life came from spending time with her grandson, Crosby, and anticipating the arrival of her grandson, Calvin.

She was honored at the American Cancer Society’s Freeborn County Relay for Life in July of this year.

Her hope was to inspire others to do the very best with the situations they have been given in life and see the goodness and light in even the hardest of days.

Lisa leaves behind her loving family: husband, Todd; daughters Jenna (Tyler) Hegwood of Albert Lea and Holly (Blake) Stiernagle of Rochester; grandchildren Crosby Alexander Hegwood and Calvin Silas Stiernagle; parents Keith and Alice Braund of Kiester; brother, Mike (Dawn) Braund of Kiester; sister, Jody (Paul) Mutschler of Castle Rock, Colorado, sister-in-law, Sherri (Todd) Willamson of Owatonna and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded by her grandparents Chester and Alpha Braund, Ruth and August Hamson; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

“One of the beautiful gifts I was given from a dear friend is a book titled ‘Peace in His Presence,’ a book of selected quotes and scriptures from ‘Jesus Calling ‘­— my favorite that reads: ‘Accept each day just as it comes to you. Do not waste your time and energy wishing for a different set of circumstances. Instead, trust me enough to yield to my design and purposes.’” Lisa Vogelsang said.

Funeral services for Lisa will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Grace Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Revs. Milton Ost and Shane Koepke and will officiate. Interment will be at Our Savior’s Lutheran Cemetery in Kiester. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bonnerup Funeral Service and one hour before the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred for future scholarship fund to be established at Grace Lutheran Church in Lisa’s memory or to the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance.