Gordon Tollefson, 82, died on Tuesday, February 15,, 2011 at Woodside Village in Grand Forks, ND.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 P.M. on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN with Reverend Greg Schram and Reverend Terry Olson officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, February 18, 2011 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer service on Friday evening. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Gordon Menford Tollefson was born July 28, 1928 south of Grygla in Espelie Township, Marshall County, MN, the son of George Jorgen and Minnie (Bye) Tollefson. He was baptized at Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN. He attended Reiner Township Country School and Goodridge School.

On December 27, 1948, Gordon was united in marriage to Minnie May Jorgensen in Thief River Falls. The couple lived on a farm with Gordons parents for a short time and near Park River, ND for a short time, eventually making their home in Thief River Falls where he has continued to live. On June 3, 1949, Gordon went to work for Falls Concrete and worked as shop foreman and mechanic. He worked there for 43 years. He then did some painting and mechanic work for area farmers. In his spare time he took care of Romal Burtness, as well as the upkeep on his house and yard.

Gordon was a member of Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls. He liked hunting and in his younger years, he fed his family with his hunting and trapping. He also liked fishing and wood-working, but mostly enjoyed spending time with family and his faithful companion, Sally.

He is survived by a son, Jorgen (Deb), Manvel, ND; daughter, Clarice (Ellsworth) Senum, Thief River Falls, MN; 8 grandchildren; Kevin (Heidi) Senum of Thief River Falls, MN, Brenda (Jason) Pachel of Middle River, MN, Kristi (Mark) Hutmacher of Karlstad, Timothy Tollefson of Manvel, ND, George Tollefson of Manvel, ND, Robert (Jolene) Tollefson of Grand Forks, ND, Sherly Tollefson of Manvel, ND and John Tollefson of Manvel, ND; 13 great grandchildren; Jeffrey, Mary Ellen, Linnea, Lisa, Andrew, Annika, Kyle, Bridgette, Sophia, Isabella, Jacob, Matthew and Joshua; sisters, Doris (Don) Hasby, Hartford, WI and Delores Johnsrud, Thief River Falls, MN.

Gordon was preceded in death by wife, Minnie on March 29, 2001; parents; brother, Harry; brother-in-law, Jack Johnsrud.

CASKETBEARERS: Timothy Tollefson, Robert Tollefson, George Tollefson, Jason Pachel, Mark Hutmacher, Matthew Hutmacher
HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: John Tollefson, Jacob Hutmacher, Joshua Hutmacher and Jeffrey Senum