Services for Evelyn Halvorson

Evelyn Halvorson, age 103, of Fosston and Bagley, MN, passed away on Saturday, March 12th, at McIntosh Senior Living. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 26th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston with the Rev. John Ragan officiating. Interment will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery of Eddy Township, Clearwater County, at a later date. Family will greet friends for one  hour prior to the service on Saturday (26th) at the funeral home. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com. 

Evelyn Viola Halvorson was born to Gunder and Emily (Larson) Volden on February 15, 1919, in Gonvick, Minnesota. She grew up on a farm with three sisters. They spoke Norwegian and when starting school had to learned English.

Some of the stories mom told me…she was practicing saying English words and her mother told her to go outside and talk to the animals, so she did. 

They lived in a log cabin and was told of her father sealing cracks between the logs with strips of worn out clothing.

Camping and blueberry picking by Blackduck was another thing the family would do. 

She told of the family riding on the train to Fosston to visit the Landsverk’s and being picked up in a horse-drawn sleigh and brought to their house.

When she was older she took a job in Chicago, then went to Maryland where her sister was living. While there, she worked in a department store and met and married Arthur Helfinstine. To this marriage, a daughter was born on October 9, 1944, Mary Ellen. They later divorced.

Moving back to Bagley, she married Bennie Halvorson. On October 12, 1954, a son was born, Arlen.

She was busy keeping house and gardening. She also travelled, going to see her sister, Gina, in Maryland.

She also went on Amtrack to Redding, California with her daughter, Mary.

She taught herself how to ride bicycle, by coasting down a hill by their house. She was probably in her 60's when she did this.

Bennie died in October of 1989. She did not drive so she bought a Moped to get around and later bought a golf cart.

Living by herself out in the country, we convinced her to move to Fosston. She lived there for many years, mowing her own lawn for many of these years. When she bought two more lots she gave that up and we mowed for her.

Then one day she fell and broke her arm. We got her into MSL nursing home in McIntosh. She lived her remaining days there and was happy and well cared for.

I will always remember her as being smart and kindhearted.

Preceding her in death was Her parents, Gunder Volden and Emily Larson Volden; sisters, Gina  (Martin Chelstrom), Gladys (Harry Biederman), Alice Rivera; and infant brother, Selmer; and daughter, Mary Helfinstine.

Surviving are son, Arlen Halvorson of McIntosh, MN; grandchildren,  Jason Halvorson (Jody), Chad Halvorson, Benjamin Halvorson, Nicole Halvorson Anderson (Kameron); also, Mary had a son, Sam Rushing, in California.  Many Nieces and Nephews and great grandchildren.