Mildred Kolness, 92, Hendrum, Minnesota, passed away at the Halstad Living Center in Halstad, Minnesota on Monday, November 10th after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease.

Mildred Harriet Mjolsness was born on the family farmstead near Georgetown, Minnesota on February 9, 1922, to Ordin and Helen Mjolsness. She was raised there until 1928 when they moved to Fargo where her dad was the editor of a Norwegian language newspaper and she started school. During the 1930's the family moved to Dawson and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and eventually settled in Perley, Minnesota. She finished her schooling at the Perley school and Borup High School. She was baptized and confirmed at Kirkebo Lutheran Church in Perley.

In 1938 she met Sherman Kolness at the Norman County Fair in Ada, Minnesota. They were married at the parsonage in Hendrum, Minnesota on May 23, 1942. Sherman entered the U.S. military in November, 1942, and the couple lived in Greenville, South Carolina until Sherman was sent overseas during World War 2 and she returned to Hendrum with her infant son, Leydon. The family made their home in Hendrum where they raised five sons.

Mildred served her community through involvement in civic, school, and church activities. She served as a Cub Scout leader and was a longtime member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and it's WELCA. She has been a continuous member of the Holland-Swenson American Legion Auxiliary of Hendrum since it's inception in 1946. She was proud to serve as a Hendrum election judge for close to 50 years and greatly enjoyed traveling including several trips to Norway as well as throughout the United States with her family and friends. She was on the Hendrum bowling team for many years, and cherished time spent with her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed many hobbies including making ceramics and crocheting afghans which will be greatly treasured by her family. She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage.

She battled debilitating afflictions as a child where she lost her hearing in one ear as well as her ability to walk for over a year, and nearly lost her life to cancer in her prime, but God wanted to keep her on this earth to finish a great journey. She deeply loved and watched over her family.

She is survived by four sons, Leydon (Beverly), Donovan (Becky), and John (Jannette Wenshau), all of Hendrum and Thomas (SallyMarie Lauritsen), of Fargo, ND. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceeded in death by her husband, parents, a son, Billy, two great grandchildren, Nicholas and Andrew, a sister, Ruby and a brother, Robert.

The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the staff of the Halstad Living Center for their care and love and for making mom feel at home there for the past five years.

Visitation will be held at Fredrikson's Valley Funeral Home in Halstad on Friday, November 14th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service starting at 6:30 p.m.

There will be a celebration of Mildred's life at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hendrum on Saturday, November 15th starting at 11:00 a.m.

The family requests that memorials be given to either Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hendrum or the Halstad Living Center.

Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Hendrum, MN.