Cora Honsey, 1919-2017

Published 10:08 am Monday, February 20, 2017

Cora A. Honsey, 97, of Albert Lea passed away on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at home with her family at her side.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Emmons Lutheran Church, 490 Pearl St. in Emmons. The  Rev. Christopher Martin will officiate. Burial will be in Lime Creek Cemetery, west of Emmons.

Cora Honsey

Cora Honsey

Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Fellowship Hall at Emmons Lutheran Church and will continue one hour prior to the service.

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Cora Alma (Bidne) Honsey was born on Feb. 20, 1919, in Freeborn County to parents Sever and Guri (Opdahl) Bidne. She was baptized and confirmed at Lime Creek Lutheran Church in rural Emmons. Cora attended and graduated from Alden High School in Alden.

Cora was wed to Clinton Honsey on Oct. 22, 1939, at Lime Creek Church. The couple was blessed with nine — yes nine — children. They made their home west of Emmons in the early years, moved to Silver Lake from 1946 through 1952, and back to the Bidne farm west of Emmons until 1972. The Bidne farm was recognized as a Century Farm in 2015. In 1972 Cora and Clinton moved to Emmons.

Being a homemaker on a farm with many children left Cora to become a very accomplished quilter and baker. Each of her children has something they feel was a specialty — doughnuts, jelly rolls, chocolate cake, 4 o’clock buns, and cookies. And the quilts she made will be cherished for years to come. Cora liked to Polka dance and play card games like canasta and 500 with family and friends. She loved herfamily to the utmost and passed along a strong will, solid faith and sense of humor.

Survivors include her children Audrey (Lowell) Lamping of Webster, Lois (Jerry) Epland of Emmons, James (friend Liz Howe) Honsey of Rochester, Karen (Darwin) Fure of Maple Grove, Marcella (Mike) Bergerson of Lake Stevens, Washington, Stanley (Kathy) Honsey of Owatonna, Steven (Dotti) Honsey of Albert Lea, Lynn (Peggy) Honsey of Winona and Louise (Vern) Martinson of Lake Mills; 35 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great- grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers-in-law, Spencer (Mary) Honsey and Harris (LeAnn) Honsey; four sisters-in-law, Mavis Johnson, Dolores Fredericks, Beverly (Maynard) Bidne and Berdine Honsey; many nieces and nephews; and wonderful neighbors Louie and Mary Toulouse.

Cora was preceded in death by her parents Sever and Guri; stepmother, Belle; husband, Clinton; three brothers, Oscar Bidne, Alfred Bidne and Kenneth Bidne; two sisters, Ina Johnson and Mabel Handeland; daughter-in-law, Marilyn Honsey; and two grandsons, Mark Bergerson and Joshua Honsey.