Estelle Grinde, 96, died Monday, January 12, 2009 at Thief River Care Center, Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral service will be held at 1 P.M. Friday, January 16, 2009 at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls, MN.

Estelle Hanson was born April 3, 1912, in Silverton Township, Pennington County, MN, the daughter of Henry and Sina (Omundson) Hanson. She was baptized April 28, 1912 at Silverton Lutheran Church by Reverend I.T. Aastad and confirmed August 5, 1926 by Reverend E. O. Sabo. At the age of 7, Estelles mother and brother died in a flu epidemic. She grew up and attended local schools and graduated Lincoln High School, class of 1929. She attended Teachers Training Department in 1930 and taught in schools of Pennington, Marshall and Roseau counties until 1942, when she was united in marriage to Melvin Grinde at Silverton Lutheran Church.

Estelle received her Bachelor of Science degree from Moorhead State University in 1967 and later did graduate work at Moorhead and Bemidji Universities.

In 1962, Estelle organized Falls Day Activity Center for mentally handicapped citizens and directed the program as well for 3 years. She resigned to accept the position as special education instructor at Mark Twain Elementary School in Thief River Falls until retirement.

Estelle held membership at Zion Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN and was a former member of Silverton Lutheran Church, where she served as organist and on the church council. She served on mission and ministry committees at Zion and was stewardship chairman. She taught Sunday School for 45 years including years at Zion Lutheran Church. Also during summer months, she taught vacation Bible School. Estelle was a former member of Northern Minnesota District ALC task force for refugee resettlement, area contact person for Bread for the World organization, Chuck Colsons Prison Fellowship, Habitat for Humanity, Association of University Women, Alpha Phi Teachers Organization and Northland Retired Educators.

Estelle is survived by son, Homer and his children, Brian and Brenda Grinde, and son Miltons (deceased) children, Wade (Sara) Grinde, Amanda (Brian) Bakken, Ericka (Matt) Johnson, and 3 great-grandchildren, Chase, Caden, and Tysen.

She is preceded in death by husband, Melvin in 1980, son, Milton, sisters, Inanda and Gladys Hanson; and her parents.