Cyril Clinton Stensrud was born February 20, 1927, Westerheim Township, Lyon County, to John O. Stensrud and Mary Elizabeth (Burchard) Stensrud. He was baptized at Hope Lutheran Church by Pastor William Warner. He was confirmed at English Lutheran Church by Pastor D. L. Pfeiffer.
He attended schools in Marshall and Minneota, and Richmond, CA. While still in high school he worked in the Kaiser Shipyard #3; Richmond, CA, while they were building the U.S.S. General J.H. McRae.
Shortly after that he was inducted into the service. That group of inductees was the last out of Fort Snelling. He went into the Army and then transferred into the Army Air Force, Air Transport Command, where he served in France, Germany, and Belgium. He spent some time in the 50th Field Hospital in Paris and also in a hospital in Bremerhaven, Germany.
He joined the American Legion in Paris, Post # One and was proud to say he signed the same book as General Pershing.
Upon leaving the service he entered into a partnership with his father and brother in a custom combining outfit.
Cyril married Lois Verna Pfarr in May of 1948 at the English Lutheran Church at Cottonwood. Four children were born to them: Kathryn, Clinton, Les and Dan.
He started to work for the Farmers Union Oil in Cottonwood. During the years he saw many changes in the company, from Farmers Union, to Cenex, to Cenex-Land O’ Lakes to Cenex Harvest States. He managed the bulk station at Sherack from 1960-61. From 1966 until he retired in 1992, he managed the Soil Service Center in Thief River Falls. After he retired, he was interim manager at Euclid, Climax and Buxton, and Cummings, ND.
Cyril was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and held various offices there. He was a member of the American Legion and a life member of the V.F.W.
He loved to travel and made many trips. He belonged to the Cenex Bowling Team at one time. He enjoyed woodwork and built two houses and also made many wooden projects.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Les and Dan; daughter-in-law, Christine; two sisters, Ardell and Dorothy; brother, Orville; sister-in-law, JoAnn; two nephews; four nieces; and 2 great-grandsons.
Survivors are his wife, Lois of 74 years, of Thief River Falls; children, Kathryn (Richard) Grandbois, Red Lake Falls, Clinton (Adele) Stensrud, Paynesville; daughter-in-law, Virginia Stensrud, Thief River Falls; eight grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The service to celebrate Cyril’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 2, 2022 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, with Rev. Thomas Puffe officiating.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2022 at Johnson Funeral Service, and for one hour prior to the service on Friday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, rural St. Hilaire.
Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com.
A00003B2022AG31
Cyril Stensrud, 95
