Obituary of Ada Florence Lund

Ada Florence Stephenson Lund, age 99, passed away on March 27, 2020, in St. Paul, MN. She was born on April 8, 1920, in Pelican Rapids, MN, the youngest of six children of Sygurd and Ida (Thompson) Stephenson, who owned a farmed near Lake Lida. Preceding Florence in death are her parents, her husband Dr. J. Benjamin "Ben" Lund (1997), and her daughters Sigrid (Jim)Christianson (2004) and Kristin (Bill) Sutter (2017), and her five siblings. She is survived by her children Kristofer (Kristen) Lund, St. Paul, Stephen (Ann) Lund, Kansas City, KS, Thomas (Lauren) Lund, Ogden, UT, and Kathleen Hoffman, St. Peter, MN. Nineteen grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews.

Florence loved growing up on the farm. She attended a one room schoolhouse, was active in 4H, graduated from Pelican Rapids High School in 1938, and studied at the University of MN. She married J.Benjamin Lund, on September 4, 1941.

Upon completion of his medical training, Ben served in Europe during WWII. During that time, Florence and the oldest two children lived on the farm with her parents. At the completion of the war, Ben and Florence moved to Astoria, OR, and then to Fort Snelling (Mpls), MN, where Ben trained in psychiatry. In 1958 the family moved to Mankato, MN, where Ben opened a psychiatry practice. All six of Florence and Ben's children graduated from Mankato High School.

In the 1960's, Florence completed a college degree in early childhood education at Mankato State and joined the faculty of Mankato's first Head Start program.

Florence loved hard work and was happiest doing just that. She cared for her parents in her home until their deaths. She and Ben helped raise several nieces and nephews and temporarily housed other family members and college students. They hosted two international students for one year each. Many large family celebrations were held at their home. Holiday meals always featured her famous lease.

In 1981, Florence became her husband's caregiver when a fall from a scaffold left him partially paralysed. Until Ben suffered a stroke in 1994, Florence and Ben, and sometimes a grandchild or two, explored the U.S. and Scandinavia in a specially-equipped RV. Florence provided total care for Ben until his death in 1997.

Florence continued to work hard until her 92nd birthday, when she moved to a memory care center in Red Wing, MN, near her daughter Kristin. She later moved to St. Paul, where she received loving attention from her son Kristofer and his wife, Kristen, and the caring staff of King House, Episcopal Church Home.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.