Leslie Kulseth, 96, died on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the North Valley Health Center, Warren, MN.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Thursday, January 15, 2009 at Zion Lutheran Church in Viking, MN with Rev. Rena Peterson and Pastor Ollie Urdahl officiating. Burial will follow in the Bethlehem of New Solem Cemetery, rural Viking, MN.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls with a prayer service at 7:00 PM Wednesday. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Thursday.

Leslie Gerard Kulseth was born on December 20, 1912 in Holt, MN to Martin and Louise (Rux) Kulseth. He was baptized in the Lutheran Faith. He attended school in Northwood, ND and in Viking, MN through the 8th grade, after which he worked on the family farm in Viking. He moved to Thief River Falls and worked throughout the 1930s in road construction as a dragline operator. In the 1940s, he started working for Forsbergs Inc. He designed most of their seed cleaning and grain separating machines which were sold to companies in many countries. He retired form Forsbergs in 1976 at the age of 63, as vice president of engineering and stayed on for a few more years as a consultant.

Les was spotted by his future wife Helen driving in a 1928 Chevrolet while out walking with her girlfriend. He saw her at the same time and that was the beginning of a 3 year courtship. Les married Helen Roberta Elofson, November 10, 1935 at the parsonage of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. He worked 2 jobs to pay the pastor $2.00, which the pastor gave back to him. In their 73 years of marriage, Les never forgot an anniversary, birthday, or any other special occasion.

Until his retirement from Forsergs, Les enjoyed buying and fixing up or building houses, living in them for a short time, then selling and buying or building another. The last seven years, he and Helen have lived in a new mobile home in their granddaughters back yard.

Les was a collector and fixer of many things, including guns, cameras, watches and antiques and loved going to auction sales. His CB handle was The Collector . Les taught his daughters how to shoot at an early age and was so proud when, as young teens, they became members of the local gun club. He was very musical and could play almost every musical instrument and was a brilliant inventor, but not so brilliant businessman. Always afraid of cheating his fellow man, he ultimately cheated himself instead.

Les loved telling stories about his experiences in the good old days and he always had an eager audience hanging on every word. Les loved animals, especially his cats, Bently and Mia. He was a wonderful family man and friend, always there for anyone who needed a helping hand. He will be sadly missed by all who had the privilege of calling him friend, and especially by his family who loved him dearly.

He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Helen, Viking, MN, 2 daughters, Elody (Amorin) Olson, Thief River Falls, MN, Shirley (Rev. Ken) West, Reedsburg, WI, 8 grandchildren: Cindy (Ike) Ellingsen, Viking, MN, Cheri Hasbrouck, Erskine, MN, Chris (Christy) Olson, Parkers Prairie, MN, Craig Olson, Thief River Falls, MN, Carole (Lonnie) Friesz, Faribault, MN, Natalie (Gary) Bloomquist, West Hartford, CT, Jon Carlson, South Bend, IN, Tina (Jerry) Harlow, Union Mills, IN, 8 great grandchildren, Jordan Hasbrouck, Braedon Hasbrouck, Kayla Estabrooks, Kenya Olson, Travis Friesz, Linnea Bloomquist, Hannah Bloomquist, Jason Ott. He is also survived by a few cousins, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law.

Memorials may be sent to Good Samaritan Society, Warren, MN or the Humane Society, Thief River Falls, MN.

Family condolences can be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

ORGANIST: Gloria Ness
SOLOIST: Miki Augustine
SELECTIONS: On Eagles Wings, In The Arms of an Angels
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS: How Great Thou Art, God Be With You Until We Meet Again
PALLBEARERS: Chris Olson , Craig Olson, Jordan Hasbrouck, Braedon Hasbrouck, Ike Ellingsen and Lonnie Friesz.
HONORARY PALLBEARERS: All grandchildren and great grandchildren