Vivian Sjulson, 100, passed away on November 28, 2018 at Hillcrest Home in Red Lake Falls. A celebration of Vivian’s life took place Monday, December 3, at the First Presbyterian Church in Red Lake Falls, with Rev. Gary Graff officiating. Internment was in the St. Hilaire Community Cemetery in St. Hilaire.
Vivian Marjorie Anderson was born September 28, 1918 at her family’s homestead north of Potter, Nebraska, the daughter of Edgar E. and Adele (Johnson) Anderson. She was baptized in the Lutheran Church at Potter and confirmed in the First Methodist Church there. As a teenager, she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. She graduated from Potter High School in 1936 and attended the Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney.
Vivian taught country school in Kimball County, Nebraska, for one year, then second grade at Kimball for two years. Then she moved to California in 1943 to work at Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation until 1946. She became engaged to Harry Sjulson and, while he was serving in the US Army in Japan, she moved back to western Nebraska and taught fourth grade in Sidney for one year.
Vivian was married to Harry Sjulson on December 30, 1947 in Potter. They moved to Minneapolis for two years, where she briefly worked at the University of Minnesota Hospital and later taught fourth and fifth grade at the St. Anthony School for one year. Vivian and her husband spent 1949 to 1954 in Nebraska, having purchased her parents’ ranch there. Then they spent one winter working in southern California before moving to St. Hilaire in 1955.
While raising her family of three children on their turkey farm in Black River Township, west of St. Hilaire, Vivian was active in the Homemakers club and taught religious release time classes for both the Tarna and Calvary Lutheran Churches in St. Hilaire, summer Bible school in several of these area churches and was also a Bible Camp counselor at the Clearwater Presbyterian Bible Camp near Brainerd.
From 1961 to 1969 Vivian worked as a substitute teacher at the St. Hilaire Elementary School. In 1969, she accepted a position with School District #562 (St. Hilaire) as a special education tutor, working with students who needed special help in reading, continuing until 1973, after which she resumed substitute teaching there for a few more years.
During the early 1970’s, Vivian and her family shared their home with a Vietnamese student, Son Nguyen, while he attended Northland Community College in Thief River Falls, and have since considered Sony and his family as their own.
Vivian spent several years as a member of the local Concert Series board of directors and a member of the Thief River Falls Lionesses. She has also been an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Red Lake Falls, serving as an elder, a deacon, and Sunday School teacher there, and regularly singing soprano in the choir for over 50 years.
Vivian recently noted her 100th birthday and enjoyed several celebrations, including hosting a reunion of several of her nephews and nieces who came from all over the United States to see her and each other.
Vivian is survived by her husband, Harry; one daughter, Donna Myhrer of rural St. Hilaire; two sons: Dr. Roger (Phyllis) Sjulson of Fosston and Dr. Neil (Jennifer) Sjulson of New Braunfels, TX; foster son, Sony (Tuyet) Nguyen of Rowlett, TX; grandchildren: Sean (Stacy) Myhrer and Patrick Myhrer both of Thief River Falls; Dr. Luke (Karen) Sjulson of New York City, NY; Dr. Justin (Dr. Jennifer Idziorek) Sjulson of Bremerton, WA; Bryan (Patricia) Sjulson of Chaska; Benjamin Sjulson of Grand Rapids, MI; Mark (Traci) Morinville of Brooks; Stacy (Troy) Hamre of Crookston; Sean (Julie) Nguyen of Carrollton, TX; Tammy (Andy) Mangham of Allen, TX; great-grandchildren: Michaela (Dylan Vansickle) Myhrer; Zachary Myhrer; Bethany (Curtis Korb) Sandberg; Benjamin Sandberg; Dexter, Axelle, and Maxine Sjulson; Tianna, Ty, Talia and Tate Hamre; Kendra, Alyssa, and Levi Morinville; Gracelyn and Joelle Nguyen; Peyton and Taylor Mangham; two brothers-in-law, Paul (Lorraine) Sjulson and Robert (JoAnn) Sjulson; sister-in-law, Kay “Goldie” (George) Nelson, and many nieces and nephews.
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Earl and Ralph Anderson; one sister, Dorothy Koudele; her son-in-law, Jerome Myhrer, and sister-in-law, Gladys Elfstrom.
Arrangements with Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls.