Louise Bagaason, 1927-2014

Published 9:00 am Sunday, April 27, 2014

Louise A. Bagaason, 86, of Sun City, Ariz., passed away peacefully in her sleep April 21, 2014. She was born Dec. 10, 1927, in Chicago to Ralph A. and Thelma (Weider) Norton. The family moved to Albert Lea when Louise was 14 years old. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1946. On Christmas Day 1947 Louise married Richard (Dick) Bagaason. In 1954 they moved to Waseca, where Dick opened Bagaason’s Jewelry and Louise opened a Mode O’ Day ladies ware store. They returned to Albert Lea in 1964 when Dick bought Braaten’s Jewelry and Louise worked several different bookkeeping jobs, including at Braaten’s. In 1989 they retired to their lake home at Reed’s Lake, where Louise enjoyed fishing both summer and winter. Her granddaughters always enjoyed going to the lake, and their grandma always made their visits fun. She cooked great food whenever there were get-togethers. She always said, “Grandmas don’t cook bad food!” They sold the lake home and moved to Sun City in 1998 where Louise enjoyed golfing and playing bridge and reading. She was also a member of the Eastern Star.

Louise Bagaason

Louise is survived by daughter, Barbara (Tom) Bothum, Albert Lea; granddaughters Becci (Randy) Anderson, Albert Lea, Alison (Garrett) Kassuelke, Farmington, Amanda (Jeremiah) Forman, Albert Lea, and Sadie (Ryan) Wuerflein, Albert Lea; step-granddaughters Traci Bothum, Ames, Iowa, and Tanya (Sal) Gomez, Albert Lea. Great-grandchildren Makayla, Carly and Blake Anderson, Trent and Anna Kassuelke, Grant and Jackson Forman, and Olivia Wuerflein; step great-grandchildren Marawan Bothum and Salvador, Murnico, Devon and Hannah Gomez.

She was preceded in death by her parents, stepmother, Jessie Mae Norton, mother- and father-in-law Lillian and Gilbert Bagaason, her husband, Dick, sisters Arlene Wolke and Janet Parsons; brother, Ralph C. (Shorty) Norton; sisters-in-law Marlene Norton, Dorothy Nelson and Gerry Zook; brothers-in-law Ken Nelson and Robert Zook.

We would like to thank The Caring Place and Quality Hospice for their tender loving care. Louise’s body has been donated at her request to Science Care in Phoenix for research and teaching methods.