Ruth Lundeen

Ruth Steen, Strand, Lundeen was born on December 31, 1911, to parents Einar O. Steen and Gina Helene Jenson Steen of Farwell, MN. Ruth had three brothers: Olaf, Victor, and Arnold; two sisters: Evangeline and Doris. Living on the farm was not always easy. I learned to milk the cows at the age of eight, shocked the grain, stacked the hay, and picked the seed corn. I was expected to do the work as fast as my father and brothers. I shed a few tears because it was tuff. We had no ready-made toys. We made our own sleds, wagons, skis, etc. We would walk to our neighbors for a social hour, which was not often. As a child of three and on to the age of fourteen, I was ill and missed weeks and months of school. Skin diseases were my plague. My brother, Victor and I were the two middle children so we learned to do our own thing, such as go fishing without permission and not get home till after dark. We got our scoldings, plus. We learned to be independent, which has followed me all my life. My enjoyment as a young teenager was to attend the ?Luther League? at the neighboring churches. That?s where we met our dates (boyfriends). I was president of the League at the Trysil Church at the age of 14. I loved going to church, my wish was to marry a minister and be in the ministry. I wrote a gossip column for the newspaper (The Echo Press) which gave me $2.00 to $3.00 spending money. The farmers paid me about the same wage as a hired girl. The lure of the city began to work on me, yes a desire of a job as a maid. I was fortunate at that time to get such a job. The home of an attorney family hired me at $5.00 a week. Later the top pay was $7.50 per week. I loved the city, its many attractions. The maid?s day off was Thursday afternoon, at that time. We would go to dances, and it was there I met Johan Strand, fell in love and married him on March 30, 1935 at the farm home. Our lives took a new turn. We accepted the Lord as our Savior and were called into the ministry. John worked at the Dominian Electric Company as a metal polisher and buffer, with fair pay. The company moved to Mansfield, Ohio in 1935. In the month of April, we were asked to go with the company. We found a church on Glessner Ave. where James A. Wilkerson was pastoring (grandfather of, David Wilkerson). This was an exciting church. We were asked to pastor a church in the suburbs of Mansfield, from there back to Minnesota to a home missions church at Evansville. Our years at Full Gospel Temple, many times a blessing. Many prayers and tears were shed there. We resigned August 1, 1971. The burden on John?s heart was to go home to his homeland of Norway to minister. It was his greatest joy the day we boarded the SAS for Norway to spend a year. We were welcomed and taken care of very well. Thank the Lord for all the great opportunities, which were ours during John?s last days. It was a lonely day for me May 6th, 1978 but a wonderful home going for Dad! The Senior Citizen group helped to fill the emptiness in my life. I?ve been aware of the Lord?s leading in my marriage to Floyd on April 7, 1984. Ruth died on Friday, September 9, 2011. She is survived by her three sons: Robert (Donna) Strand of Springfield, MO, Eugene (Judy) Strand of Tustin, CA, Douglas Strand of Alexandria, MN; 11 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren; four step children: Arden, Vincent, Crystal and Denise and several step grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands: John Strand, Floyd Lundeen. Funeral services were held on Friday, September 16, 2011, 11:00 a.m. at Living Waters Church in Alexandria. Burial was at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. Arrangements were with the Anderson Funeral Home. www.andersonfuneral.net