Lyle Sanstead

Lyle Kenneth Sanstead was born June 19, 1927 to Elmer and Mable Sanstead. He was born on the family farm one mile south of Evansville. Lyle passed on December 23, 2023.

Lyle’s father, Elmer came from a long line of hard-working Swedes and Germans who immigrated to the Garfield area in 1870. Lyle’s mother, Mabel Johnson Sanstead comes from an Evansville farm family of Norwegian descent that immigrated in 1850. Mabel was one of thirteen children, so Lyle grew up surrounded by umpteen cousins, aunts and uncles, picnics at Stowes Lake, and a lot of hotdishes.

Lyle attended country school until the eighth grade at District 87, on the crossroads just south of their farm. Lyle was a prankster, and along with his cousins, they would tease his little sister, Marjorie for her entire life.

At 15, when the US joined World War II, Lyle was deferred from service to farm with his father, and that began over 70 years farming that land. During that time, he saw many changes, from horse-drawn equipment to his first tractor, a 1944 Minneapolis Moline. Equipment was expensive, so neighbors often pooled their time and resources. In 1962, a new modern barn was built, housing 36 cows. Lyle claimed his cows only gave milk when polkas played at every milking.

Lyle’s first vehicle was a 1929 Model A Ford, 2-door, painted dark green with black fenders and yellow wheels, which Lyle claimed was “pretty flashy” for the time. He would haul his cousins, Lois, Phillis, and Carol to the Gangplank Rollerskating rink in Alexandria, where he met a lovely young girl named Marilyn Oglesby.  When Lyle was 23, and Marilyn was 18, they married on November 25, 1950 and started their farm partnership.

Lyle cared for his land, tending and planting thousands of trees.  He cared for his community, serving on his township board for twenty-three years.  He loved his church and contributed to the merging of two congregations. He loved preserving the history of this area by serving on the Evansville Historical Foundation board. He lived on his farm for 72 years, then moved one-half mile north, where he lived with Marilyn for another twenty-four years. Lyle’s final move was another half-mile north to the Evansville Care Center on top of the hill where he could still gaze upon “his land.”

Lyle loved to travel and when he was eighteen, he went on his first “grand adventure” with his uncle Jack on a road trip to San Francisco in his 1937 Ford Coup. After a visit with Aunt Birdie and Uncle Andrew Fjoslien, who owned a beer tavern and pool hall, Lyle returned to Evansville by Greyhound bus. That began a lifetime of wanderlust with many trips out west with the “Old Fogies Snowmobile Club”, road trips exploring the US with Marilyn’s siblings, and a trip to Germany in 1978.

In his retirement years, Lyle became a gifted woodworker, specializing in Intarsia, the art of creating mosaic-like pictures from pieces of wood. He crafted hundreds of pieces and won many awards at the county fair.

Marilyn and Lyle were blessed with five children. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn, their infant daughter, Jacklyn Ann, his parents, and his sister Marjorie. Lyle is survived by his children and their families.

Kenneth (Paula) Sanstead: Mitch (Kris) Sanstead, [Morgan (Chris) McGaffey, Kaitlyn (Mason) Nibbe, Sophie], Robyn (Ryan) Hillsheim, [Addisyn, Griffyn, and Bennyt], Dan Sanstead, [McKenna, Emily], David (Kayla) Sanstead, [Damon, Owen, Piper].   Kathleen (Wade) Fauth, [Edward].  Michael (Terri) Sanstead, Jasmine (Chris) Synstelien, [Emma, Hailey, Allie, Katie], Jade (Miki) Sandsteadt, [Marilyn]. Marlys (Kurt) Steidl, Keith (Sarah) Steidl [Mason, Rowan], Samantha (Jeff) Montoya.

Visitation at Faith Lutheran Church, Evansville, 4-6 pm, Thursday, December 28, 2023.

Funeral at 6 pm, with reception to follow.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, please make donations to Evansville Historical Foundation, 304 Gran Street, Evansville, MN 56326