Thief
River Falls - Louise "Lou" Espeseth, 75, died
Wednesday, November 21, 2001 at the CNC Unit of
Northwest Medical Center in Thief River
Falls.
Funeral services were held at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday,
November 27, at Green Funeral Home in Thief River
Falls with Rev. Tim Bauer officiating. Ida Nordvall
was the organist, and the soloist was Jan Peterson.
Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River
Falls.
Louise "Lou" Victoria Olson was born on December
17, 1925 in Gatzke, the daughter of John V. and
Adele Louise (Haugen) Olson. She was baptized at
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Thief Lake. When
Lou was five years old, she moved with her family
to Thief River Falls where she attended Northrup
Elementary School, was confirmed at Trinity
Lutheran Church and graduated from Lincoln High
School in 1943. She worked for Northwestern Bell
Telephone in Thief River Falls for three years and
for Illinois Bell in Chicago for two years. In
1947, Lou moved to Seattle, Wash. where she was
employed at Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph.
On July 22, 1950, she was united in marriage to
Arne Harry Espeseth at Queen Anne Lutheran Church
in Seattle. Arne was a commercial fisherman in
Alaska. For several years, the couple resided in
Petersburg, Alaska where Lou was a member of
Petersburg Lutheran Church. Arne died in 1983. Lou
moved to Thief River Falls where she had since
resided.
Survivors include a daughter, Gayle Espeseth of
Petersburg, Alaska; two sons, Keith Espeseth and
Steve Espeseth, both of Thief River Falls; five
grandchildren; a sister, Mary Jane Gibson of Thief
River Falls; and several nieces and
nephews.
Lou was preceded in death by her husband; parents;
two brothers, John Burton and Billy Olson; and a
sister in infancy. A00003B2001NV28
