Lenore Tonneson

Lenore Hilda Tonneson was born March 10, 1912 to Torstein and Odel (Larson) Tjon at her parent’s home in the Turtle Mountains of Bottineau County , North Dakota .

She attended rural grade school, graduated from Bottineau High School and completed her education at the State Teacher College in Minot , North Dakota .

She taught at various rural schools in Bottineau County . During this time she met her future husband, Palmer Tonneson, at a Gospel Tent Meeting in 1937.

Lenore and Palmer were married June 28, 1940 at First Lutheran Church in Bottineau , North Dakota . After their marriage they lived near Newburg, North Dakota , where she taught for one year and Palmer farmed and their first son was born. In 1945 the family moved to Oakes , North Dakota , where they continued in farming and their second son and daughter were born. In March of 1953 they bought the farm near Swan Lake , where she preceded to live until the present time.

She worked at Broen Memorial Home as a nurse’s aid for a time. In 1959, Lenora began working at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center until her retirement in 1977.

She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church and the Women’s Missionary Fellowship. She was active as a Sunday School Teacher, sang in the church choir and worked in the Library.

Lenore loved to read, especially her Bible. She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, spending time at the lake lot and later at the cabin on Swan Lake . Mostly she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Lenore Tonneson of Fergus Falls passed away, Sunday, May 23, 2010 at Broen Memorial Home, Fergus Falls , Minnesota at the age of 98.

Preceding her in death were her parents Torstein and Odel Tjon, husband Palmer, sisters Alma Grimestad, Kelma Birkeland, Inez Tjon, and brothers Orvin, Telford and Norman Tjon.

Lenore is survived by her children Ronald (Susan) Tonneson of Fairfax, IA; David (Mary Jo) Tonneson of Fergus Falls, MN and Lenora (Lee) Pommrehn of St. Louis Park, MN; Eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren: Wendy (Shawn) Carnahan and their children Erica and John of Cedar Rapids, IA; Jerome Tonneson of Lenexa, KS; Deanna (fiancé Shane Kugler) Tonneson and their children Jasmine, Evan, and Tucker of Aberdeen, SD; Daniel (Rebecca) Tonneson and their children Ruger and Averie; Nathan Tonneson and son Andrew of Fergus Falls, MN; Paulette and Kaitlyn Pommrehn of St. Louis Park, MN; Brieann (Paul) Rudebusch of Willmar, MN; numerous relatives and friends.