Maebel Foss Otteson, 103

Maebel Foss Otteson (Johnson) was born March 10, 1908, in Stockholm, MN, to C.W. and Anna Johnson. She died in Northfield, Minnesota, on Dec. 17, 2011 at the age of 103 years, 9 months, 7 days.

Maebel was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother. She was a woman of steadfast Christian faith who exemplified a life of devotion given to her church, community, family and friends. She touched the lives of everyone with whom she crossed paths and left an indelible mark on each sojourner on her walk through life.

She was baptized and confirmed at Stockholm Lutheran Church, graduated from Cokato (MN) High School and St. Cloud (MN) Teachers College. She taught elementary grades in one-room schoolhouses in Stockholm and Hoffman, MN and coached girls high school basketball in Hoffman.

In 1934, she married Virgil T. Foss. Since he was an ordained Lutheran minister, they began their ministry years in Harlowton and Barber and then Scobey, MT. Later they moved to Kenyon, MN, and Grand Forks, ND, and served Lutheran churches there before coming to Northfield, where Virgil served as Director of Development at St. Olaf College. Virgil died in 1973.

In 1983, Maebel married Paul Otteson. They lived in Owatonna, MN, until their move into the Northfield Retirement Center in 2005.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Virgil Foss, her second husband, Paul Otteson, her parents, sisters Della, Rosella and Lydia, brothers Bernard, Walter, Gilbert, Joe and Herman, son-in-law Jim Axelson, great grandson Tyler Anderson, and Mary Otteson Blake.
She will be missed by daughter Carol Axelson of Eden Prairie, MN, and son Virgil P. Foss of Grand Forks, ND, as well as grandchildren Karin Anderson, Vincent (Gina) Axelson, Stephanie (Andrew) Sessa, Jennifer Zeitler and Steven (Lisa) Foss, great grandchildren Ryan, Andrew, Amanda, Carter, Nicolas, Katie, Erik, Ian, Tess and Heather and great great grandson Zachary. She also is survived by Dave (Barbara) Otteson and Jim (Bobbi) Otteson as well as many nieces and nephews.

Special appreciation goes to the personnel of the Northfield Retirement Center, especially Parkview East, for the unbelievable loving care shown to our mother in her years as a resident there.

Services will be held 1 p.m. Dec. 20 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Northfield with reviewal 1 hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Oaklawn Cemetery in Northfield. A celebration of life reception will be held at 3 p.m. following burial at the Northfield Retirement Center Chapel. Pall bearers are her grandchildren and their spouses.
Memorials preferred to the Virgil T. and Maebel Foss Scholarship at St. Olaf College or Stockholm Lutheran Church, Cokato, MN.

Maebel's blessing to each one of us is that we may live a life as richly as she did with kindness, commitment, curiosity, love and thanksgiving to God for each day on earth.
Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home. www.northfieldfuneral.com