Martha Roue

Martha Roue, age 96 of Fosston, MN passed away on Sunday, December 21st at Essentia Health Living Center in Fosston. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 27th at New Journey Church in Fosston with Pastor Josiah Hoagland officiating. Interment will be in Queen Cemetery, rural Fosston. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service on Friday, December 26th at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston. There will also be reviewal for one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinhoialmen.com. Martha went home to be with Jesus on Sunday, December 21. She got her much deserved angel wings in time for Christmas and we can hear her singing in that heavenly choir the beautiful songs of the season she so adored. Our hearts are broken. Martha was born in Queen Township on March 13, 1918, the 4th daughter and 6th child of Magnus and Amanda Mickelson. Her early days were spent in the warmth of a tight knit immigrant family, working and playing on her beloved girlhood farm. She delighted in school and her walks with brothers, sisters - those Mickelson girls were the prettiest in Polk county- and friends to Sunny Side country school speaking very little English until her school years. Norwegian was her first language and most would say her preferred language especially when speaking with her sisters, singing or using favorite expressions. Later Martha would attend school in Fosston and her love of learning and exploring the wondrous world God created continued. Martha married Lyle Archie Roue on February 8, 1936. She would tell us of this handsome young man that would come a courting on horseback and she was truly smitten. Lyle and Martha were married for 62 years before Lyle's death in 1998. With much affection our dad called her Mrs. Roue for all those years. Soon after their wedding their first child, Janice Marlene was born and Martha began the role of a lifetime - Mom. Besides Janice, she was Mom to Julie Anne, David Lyle, Debra Marie and Joel Wesley who she would tell anyone who would listen were all good looking, with beautiful heads of hair and nice teeth that had to be taken care of because they're the only ones you are going to get. Martha was also mother in law to Kevin Ryan and Miki Roue who she loved as though they were her own. Her one remaining sister, Esther still lives in Washington state and Martha traveled there four years ago to see her as well as nieces and nephews who she all adored. Martha has 13 grandchildren Ellen, Lyle, David, Ann, Eve, Carson, Matthew, Kelsie, Leah, Keelan, Amanda, Jacob and Ben and 16 great-grand children and 3 great, great grandchildren. Her beautiful smile, warm embrace lives on in all of us. Martha lived most of her life in and around Fosston selflessly volunteering as a Grey Lady at the hospital, years with the Athenian Club, faithful member of the Fosston Baptist church and constant contributor to the East Polk County Fair. Her endless blue ribbons adorn bulletin boards, and windowsills in her kitchen recalling what each ribbon was for and saving seeds for next year's fair. Besides the gift of gab, singing at the drop of a hat and breaking into Norwegian, many people remember Martha and her love of flowers. For years she worked at Koehler Floral, arranging and creating countless bouquets, boutonniere and corsages, which to her was never work but a joy to be surrounded by such beautiful things. She grew spectacular gladiolas, giant sunflowers and thick beds of cosmos which she would share with loved ones, the sick, and complete strangers because everybody needs a day brightener every once in a while. When a young bride to be knocked on her door on the farm to comment on the field of gladiolas out front, Martha was more than happy to cut her stalks of the beautiful blooms to use for her wedding. Martha was the mender of skinned knees, chipped mugs, and broken teenage hearts. A whiz with a needle and thread, always ready to go pinned to a kitchen curtain, she would patch favorite jeans, hunting jackets, marble bags or make a brownie uniform, party dresses or Christmas angel for the church program. Each stitch perfected by years of practice. A self-taught guitar player, she loved music and poetry and melodic bible verses. She would often recite her favorites - "Barefoot boy with cheeks of tan, blessings on you my little man." "Between the dark and the daylight, when the night is beginning to lower, comes a pause in the days occupation known as the children's hour" Martha was the proprietor of simple things and long before it became a thing, farm to table was a way of life in her kitchen. Coming in on a cold, snowy night to a supper of baked potato, roasted duck breast and buttercup squash filled our bellies and lifted our spirits. Her homemade donuts, dill pickles and long cooking fudge are legendary and no get together was ever the same without them. Martha embodied the idea to use what you have, do what you can and start now. A junk drawer with neatly stacked cast offs or button box with more than just buttons became a 5 & Dime store or curio shop for endless hours of play. Most of all she was our comfort, our shelter from the storm. Come in, she would say, "your hands are cold, let me warm them." Put some scuffs on your feet and we'll have tea and some cookies. Her homemade quilts and constant prayers of protection would be gifts readily accepted and impossible to duplicate and we knew we were the lucky ones, the blessed ones to have had her in our lives. No one loved so much and asked for so little in return. Rest peacefully, day is done. We will hold you tight in our hearts forever.

Visitation

Friday, December 26, 2014 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Carlin Funeral Home-Erskine
326 Vance Ave. S. Erskine 56535, United States

Funeral Service

Saturday, December 27, 2014 2:00 PM
New Journey Church
505 9th St. NW Fosston 56542, United States