Laurene Thoreson

Laurene C. Thoreson, age 87, rural Willow Lake, died peacefully early Wednesday morning, March 5, 2014 in the Golden Living Center at Lake Norden where she had resided since January 1 of this year. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 9, 2014 from 4-6:30 PM at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Vienna and will continue on Monday morning after 9AM at the Church. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 10. 2014 at 10:30 AM at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Vienna with The Reverend's Dave Larson and Keith Garness officiating. The organist will be Dorothy Fuller with special music by the Bethlehem Quartet. Casketbearers will be Tracee Neuharth, Daniel Stevens, Jennifer Tellinghuisen, Melissa LaBay, Lynnea, Andrea and Jessica Thoreson. Burial will be in the Spring in the Pleasant Lutheran Cemetery near Vienna. She was born Laurene C. Strohfus on November 2, 1926 at Watertown, the daughter of Joseph and Anne (Endres) Strohfus. She attended school in Henry and then graduated from Watertown High School. On November 19, 1949 she was united in marriage to Loren Thoreson. The couple lived in the Willow Lake/Vienna area where Loren farmed and Laurene taught school. Laurene will long be remembered by many in the area for being a teacher, a career that spanned for over 35 years in the Bryant, Vienna and Willow Lake area. After her full-time teaching career ended she also became involved and was one of the original founders of "Ag in the Classroom"; launching that program in the State of South Dakota over a ten year period, traveling around the state. In 2012 at the annual meeting, the South Dakota Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Team announced the "Anne Hunter Volunteer Award" and she was one of three deserving women named in that first award ceremony. She was very involved with Farm Bureau, attending both the State and National Conventions, 12 years consecutively on a national level. Laurene was also a member of the Willow Lake Lioness Club. Her Church home, Pleasant Lutheran for many years, and currently Bethlehem Lutheran in Vienna, was also important to her - she enjoyed singing in the choir, quilting, and Bible study. Although she was of German heritage, Laurene enjoyed Norwegian cooking, including Lutefisk and Lefse with Loren assisting with the turning! She and Loren also made several trips to the Host Fest in Minot and she loved sporting her Norwegian sweater. She had even baked a Norwegian Wedding Cake. Preceding her in death were her parents, a son, Dean, brothers, Leonard, Martin and Robert Strohfus, sisters, Iona Tschakert, Bernice Tschakert, Lucille Ronke, Marcelene Koslowski and Ramona Mack. Grateful for having shared in her life is her husband and partner for over 64 years, Loren, a son, John (Julayne) Thoreson all of Willow Lake, a daughter, Barb (Kim) Stevens of Lake Norden, seven grandchildren, Tracee (Eric) Neuharth, Daniel Stevens, Jennifer (Cory) Tellinghuisen, Melissa (Jay) LaBay, Andrea Thoreson, Lynnea Thoreson, and Jessica Thoreson and three great-grandchildren, Mayssa and Jaxson Neuharth, and Kate Tellinghuisen. She also is survived by a brother, Marvin Strohfus, a sister-in-law, Jean Strohfus and a brother-in-law, Arbie Ronke all of Watertown. www.furnessfuneralhome.com Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family.