Baxter – Lola Mae Wiskow, age 88 of Baxter, formerly of Thief River Falls, passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026 at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.
Lola Mae (Rustan) Wiskow was born October 24, 1937 to Bernhard and Monica (Erickson) Rustan in Greenbush. She was baptized and confirmed at Bethania Lutheran Church in Greenbush. She graduated from Greenbush High School in 1955. After high school, she moved to Minneapolis and worked at Augsburg Publishing House, Campbell Mithun and Knox Reeves Advertising companies.
Lola was united in marriage to Wallace Wiskow on October 25, 1958. To this union two children were born, Debra Lynn (Wiskow) McCarthy and Duane Wallace Wiskow. The couple lived in Minneapolis for a couple years and then moved to Thief River Falls in 1960.
Lola later attended Starkey Labs school and Minnesota Hearing Aid Society to become a Board-Certified hearing aid associate. She worked for the Hearing Aid Center in Thief River Falls for thirty-three years before purchasing it and running it as Lola’s Hearing Aid Center for another ten years retiring in 2015.
She was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls for over 40 years where she taught Sunday School, served as a Luther League Advisor, and participated in Women’s Missionary Federation (WMF).
Lola is survived by her children, Deb (Jeff) McCarthy of Baxter, and Duane Wiskow of Breezy Point; grandchildren, Sean (Breanna) McCarthy of Ypsilanti, MI and Kara (Rich) Carluccio of Minneapolis; great-grandchildren, Izzi and Gabriel Carluccio of Minneapolis; sister, Dian Johnson and brother, Brad Rustan both of Thief River Falls; brothers-in-law, Walter Wiskow of Wadena, and LeRoy (Annette) Wiskow of Virginia; sister-in-law, Lucy Wiskow of Strathcona; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace Wiskow; parents, Bernhard and Monica Rustan; mother and father in-law, Walter and Cora Wiskow; brothers-in-law, Cordell Wiskow, Lyle Wiskow, and Wayne Johnson; brother and sister-in-law, Harley and Vi Gilthvedt; and sister-in-law, Elinor Wiskow.
Lola’s life was defined by her dedication to her family and friends, along with her kind and generous heart. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with the funeral service to be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, with Pastor Alex Amiot officiating.
Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls.
Memorials are suggested to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.
Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com.
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