1919
Palmer
2014
Palmer Valder
April 16, 1919 — January 12, 2014
Palmer M. Valder, of Fergus Falls, died peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2014, at Lake Region Healthcare, Fergus Falls, MN.
Palmer Valder was born April 16, 1919, in Honan Province, China, where his parents, Peter and Olga (Tungseth) Valder were Lutheran Brethren missionaries. Palmer lived there for seven years and became fluent in Chinese, though later in life he had forgotten it all, except one song, "Into my Heart, Come into my Heart, Lord Jesus."
Palmer had three brothers and four sisters. From China the family traveled back to Norway and then to Mayville, ND, before settling in Ferndale Washington, where other missionaries they knew had also settled. His father continued to make several more trips back to China and Taiwan during his missionary career.
Palmer attended school in Ferndale until his sophomore year when he transferred to Lutheran Brethren Schools (LBS) in Fergus Falls, MN. It was at LBS that he met the love of his life, Wava Lorene Ramsey who was from Joice, Iowa. They both graduated in 1939.
Palmer and Wava were happily married on February 14, 1942 (Valentines Day!), soon after WWII began. Since their home church, Bethel LB in Joice, Iowa, had burned down, they were married at Zoar LB Church in Lake Mills, Iowa. Later that year, Palmer enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served for nearly 4 years until the war ended in 1945.
Palmer and Wava lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa, while he attended Iowa State Teachers College for one year, then in Waterloo, Iowa, where he worked in furniture sales. In 1957, they moved with their three daughters, Sharon, Joanne and Marilyn, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they lived for the next 35 years and were actively involved in Ebenezer LB Church. He continued to use his gift of sales, even winning a trip to Hawaii for Wava and him, as the top salesman of the company one year!
Palmer loved music! In his youth he was involved in a string band, and continued on to enjoy various forms of music in church, community sings, and with his family at home. One of his great delights was listening to Wava's beautiful voice and gifted piano playing. Because of his strong faith, one of the special ministries he loved was going to the VA hospital in Minneapolis with his good friend, Vernon Blikstad, and sharing the gospel with the veterans and giving away Bibles.
After they retired, Palmer and Wava moved back to Iowa and settled in Joice for some years, once again attending Bethel LB church. When his health began to fail he spent some years in Lake Mills Care Center. Most recently, he and Wava lived together in Pioneer Cottages Assisted Living in Fergus Falls. They attended Bethel LB as often as possible, and enjoyed the visits of dear friends until he went to be with the Lord.
Palmer is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 72 years, Wava; his 3 daughters, Sharon (Frank) Dahl of Lexington, SC; Joanne (John) Austin of Fergus Falls, MN; Marilyn (Gary) Erdahl of Gresham, OR; 5 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren; one brother, Fred; one sister-in-law, Edith Swallers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Olga Valder, and his siblings: Myrtle Thompson, Gladys Behnke, Otto, Francis Walla, Carol David, and Marie Nelson; also by son-in-law Dennis Fuhrman.
Palmer will be lovingly remembered for his cheerful, optimistic attitude toward life, his strong faith in Jesus Christ, and for his emphatic exclamation "Praise the Lord!" after a particularly moving song at church.
Memorial gifts may be given in memory of Palmer Valder to:
• Our grandchildren who are involved in world missions:
- Tim and Mary Sue Austin
Dakar Academy, Senegal, West Africa
Converge (Baptist General Conference)
2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Acct # P00152793
- Donnie and Kara Williams (West Africa)
Mission to the World (MTW)
1600 North Brown Rd.
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Acct # 18302
• Hillcrest Lutheran Academy
610 Hillcrest Drive
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Funeral Service: 2 PM, Monday, January 20, 2014 at Bethel Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, MN
Visitation: one hour prior to the service at the church. Officiating Clergy: Rev. Ed Monson
Funeral Service and Internment: 2 PM, Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at Bethel LB Church, Joice, Iowa
Visitation: one hour prior to service at the church. Clergy: Rev. Kevin Olson
Palmer Valder was born April 16, 1919, in Honan Province, China, where his parents, Peter and Olga (Tungseth) Valder were Lutheran Brethren missionaries. Palmer lived there for seven years and became fluent in Chinese, though later in life he had forgotten it all, except one song, "Into my Heart, Come into my Heart, Lord Jesus."
Palmer had three brothers and four sisters. From China the family traveled back to Norway and then to Mayville, ND, before settling in Ferndale Washington, where other missionaries they knew had also settled. His father continued to make several more trips back to China and Taiwan during his missionary career.
Palmer attended school in Ferndale until his sophomore year when he transferred to Lutheran Brethren Schools (LBS) in Fergus Falls, MN. It was at LBS that he met the love of his life, Wava Lorene Ramsey who was from Joice, Iowa. They both graduated in 1939.
Palmer and Wava were happily married on February 14, 1942 (Valentines Day!), soon after WWII began. Since their home church, Bethel LB in Joice, Iowa, had burned down, they were married at Zoar LB Church in Lake Mills, Iowa. Later that year, Palmer enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served for nearly 4 years until the war ended in 1945.
Palmer and Wava lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa, while he attended Iowa State Teachers College for one year, then in Waterloo, Iowa, where he worked in furniture sales. In 1957, they moved with their three daughters, Sharon, Joanne and Marilyn, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they lived for the next 35 years and were actively involved in Ebenezer LB Church. He continued to use his gift of sales, even winning a trip to Hawaii for Wava and him, as the top salesman of the company one year!
Palmer loved music! In his youth he was involved in a string band, and continued on to enjoy various forms of music in church, community sings, and with his family at home. One of his great delights was listening to Wava's beautiful voice and gifted piano playing. Because of his strong faith, one of the special ministries he loved was going to the VA hospital in Minneapolis with his good friend, Vernon Blikstad, and sharing the gospel with the veterans and giving away Bibles.
After they retired, Palmer and Wava moved back to Iowa and settled in Joice for some years, once again attending Bethel LB church. When his health began to fail he spent some years in Lake Mills Care Center. Most recently, he and Wava lived together in Pioneer Cottages Assisted Living in Fergus Falls. They attended Bethel LB as often as possible, and enjoyed the visits of dear friends until he went to be with the Lord.
Palmer is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 72 years, Wava; his 3 daughters, Sharon (Frank) Dahl of Lexington, SC; Joanne (John) Austin of Fergus Falls, MN; Marilyn (Gary) Erdahl of Gresham, OR; 5 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren; one brother, Fred; one sister-in-law, Edith Swallers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Olga Valder, and his siblings: Myrtle Thompson, Gladys Behnke, Otto, Francis Walla, Carol David, and Marie Nelson; also by son-in-law Dennis Fuhrman.
Palmer will be lovingly remembered for his cheerful, optimistic attitude toward life, his strong faith in Jesus Christ, and for his emphatic exclamation "Praise the Lord!" after a particularly moving song at church.
Memorial gifts may be given in memory of Palmer Valder to:
• Our grandchildren who are involved in world missions:
- Tim and Mary Sue Austin
Dakar Academy, Senegal, West Africa
Converge (Baptist General Conference)
2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Acct # P00152793
- Donnie and Kara Williams (West Africa)
Mission to the World (MTW)
1600 North Brown Rd.
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Acct # 18302
• Hillcrest Lutheran Academy
610 Hillcrest Drive
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Funeral Service: 2 PM, Monday, January 20, 2014 at Bethel Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, MN
Visitation: one hour prior to the service at the church. Officiating Clergy: Rev. Ed Monson
Funeral Service and Internment: 2 PM, Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at Bethel LB Church, Joice, Iowa
Visitation: one hour prior to service at the church. Clergy: Rev. Kevin Olson
Palmer M. Valder
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