Max – Arnold Jerome Klegstad, 71, of Max, died Wednesday, April 25, 2007, after a year long battle with cancer..
Funeral services were held on Friday, April 27 at Carroll Funeral Home in Deer River and on Saturday, April 28 at Dora Lake Alliance, Dora Lake. Interment was held at Wirt Cemetery, Wirt.
Arnold Jerome Klegstad was born February 21, 1936 in Karlstad. Arnold was raised in the Karlstad and Strandquist communities. He moved to Wirt in 1955 and married Nellie Ruth Smith on June 14, 1956.
He cut timber with his brother, Gordon and operated a sawmill for many years. He then was employed by Midland Constructors as a heavy equipment operator. Arnold and Nellie owned and operated the Klegstad General Store in Wirt for 13 years. He was a jack of all trades building homes, installing septic systems, dirt work and driving truck. He was always willing to lend a hand to those in need. Arnold enjoyed spending time with Jackie, music, deer hunting especially with his grandsons, playing cards, gardening & always having people around. Within the last few years he crafted beautiful diamond willow canes. He will be missed by many.
He is survived by his five children, Kimberly (Steve) Tomberlin of Grand Rapids, Tamara (Glen) Bergquist of Blackduck, Guy (Doree) Klegstad of Wirt, Russell (Tonya) Klegstad of Deer River, Karen (Craig) Gaasvig of Bemidji; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Elmer Gordon of Wirt; four sisters, Jean (Lloyd) Davis of Bovey, Irene (Gayhard) Nelson of Karlstad, Ione Syverson of Thief River Falls, Joan Pearson of Karlstad; one half-brother, Laverne Klegstad of Hallock; life companion, Jackie Ellison; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Nellie in 1992; his parents; an infant brother, Stanley; a half-brother, Gordon; half-sister, Gloria; and two brothers-in-law, Arnie and Sanford.
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