Karen Landerud

McFarland/Stoughton- Karen Landerud, 95, passed away in the early morning hours of July 29th 2017 at Skaalen Nursing Home, Stoughton, Wisconsin. She was born on June 14, 1922 in Stoughton, the daughter of Joseph and Adelia Hansen. Karen was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Stoughton. She graduated from Stoughton High School in 1940, continuing her education at Luther College and then at UW Whitewater, graduating with a degree in education. She taught elementary school in Rio and McFarland. On August 27, 1947 she married Walter Landerud at her home in Stoughton. They lived on their farm in the Town of Dunn all their married life. While raising three children, Karen enjoyed many hobbies, including canning, baking, cake decorating, music, rosemaling, carving, birding and taking pictures to document family life. At Christmastime, we had Norwegian treats of rosettes and krumkaka as well as lefse and lutefisk followed by oyster stew on New Year's Eve.
Karen and Walter were faithful members of McFarland Lutheran Church where Karen was active in Ladies Aid, church circles and Couples Club. Together they participated in 4-H leadership and later volunteered extensively at Skaalen Nursing Home. Karen was bookkeeper for the Landerud Bus Service from 1967 until its sale in 1978. They traveled by car or camper all over the United States, often visiting extended family and friends, as well as making new friends while attending Norwegian and music festivals. In 1990 they left the car at home and flew to Norway, a trip of a lifetime.
Karen is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Marylis Hansen, Stoughton; her children, David (Jacqui) on the home farm, Margit (David) Schiefelbein in McFarland and Gudrun (Dave) Huston in Oregon; along with her grandchildren, Christopher (Erika) Landerud, Peter (Marki) Landerud, Hans (Katie) Schiefelbein, Tim (Amy) Schiefelbein, Megan (Jeff) Soceka and Breanna Huston, and ten great grandchildren Kayla, Clint, Mae, Sorin, Norah, Hans Christian, Max, Charlie, Emily and James, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph in 1939, Adelia in 1959 and her husband, Walter in 2006.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at Skaalen Chapel, 400 N. Morris Street, Stoughton, with Pastor Jim Koza and Pastor Tim Dean officiating,. Interment will be at Upper McFarland Cemetery. Friends and family may call from 1pm until the time of the service at the chapel. Memorials may be made to Skaalen Nursing and Rehabilitation Center or McFarland Lutheran Church. The family wishes to thank the Skaalen staff for their loving care of Karen. We will all miss her smile.
Please share your memories of Karen at: www.CressFuneralService.com .
Cress Funeral Home
206 W. Prospect Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-9244