Edna Josephine Rude, age 93, passed away on June 16, 2015, at Viking Manor Nursing Home in Ulen, MN.

Edna Josephine Olson was born August 20, 1921, the daughter of Alfred and Nora (Lee) Olson on a farm near Gary, MN, which had been homesteaded by her grandparents in the late 1800's. She grew up and attended a local country elementary school and graduated from Gary High School. Like many of her generation, she walked to school throughout her elementary years, and from those daily hikes she remembered most vividly those times when her father appeared out of winter's storms with a team and bobsled to bring the children home.

In 1943, Edna married DeFloren Rude, and to this marriage three sons were born. The family moved several times while trying to become established in either agriculture or teaching and eventually bought a small farm north of Bemidji, Minnesota, from which DeFloren commuted to work at the Red Lake School. The boys grew up riding horses, haying, tapping maple trees in the spring, snowmobiling, hunting ducks, fishing, and learning farm and forest work not only with DeFloren, but with neighbors and relatives. Edna was badly outnumbered but as a homemaker supported it all, while still finding time for her own interests in music, languages, genealogy, quilting, rosemaling, and the Redby Lutheran Mission, to name a few. From a very young age Edna was an accomplished pianist and organist, and a singer with a trained and powerful voice, using her talents in the churches she attended well into her senior-citizen years.

Edna gained a wide vocabulary in both English and Norwegian and became a self-taught translator of countless books and letters from the Norwegian language. Her work was recognized by the Hallinglag, by Concordia College, and by the many Norwegian American families who sought her expert assistance with their personal documents and genealogies. Over the years, she made seven trips to Norway to maintain contact with relatives and to do genealogical research. Her fluency in English also meant she saw the humorous nuances of language, and she always enjoyed (and fired back) quips and jokes.

Edna was a devout Christian and a faithful servant of the Lord. From the dedication of her home and family to God, to her service to her Native American friends on the Red Lake Reservation, to her service in other communities and congregations, her life was a testimony of reaching out in love. Both she and DeFloren lived in thankfulness for the faithfulness of the Lord throughout their 72+ years together.

Edna is survived by her husband, DeFloren; sons, Ron (Karen) of Plains, MT, Steve (Becky) of Moorhead, MN, and Mike (Jane) of Scandia, MN; grandchildren: Steve (Tanya), Jeff, Mark (Jeannie), Jon (Lea), Peder (Gretchen), Aaron (Michelle), Josh (Shauna), and Emily (Dan); 17 great-grandchildren; three nieces and 11 nephews.

She was preceded in passing by her parents, her sister, Ruth, brother, Alfred, a nephew, Randy, and a niece, Susan.

Funeral Services were held on Saturday, June 27, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at Ness Lutheran Church, rural Gary, MN. Visitation was one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.