Florence Gredvig

Florence Margaret Willis was born on March 19, 1919, in rural Marietta, MN, to Robert and Myrtle (Steinman) Willis. She attended country school and graduated from Marietta High School in 1936. Florence then graduated from St. Cloud State Teachers College in 1940. She taught grade school in the Cottonwood School District from 1940 – 1944. In 1944, she was united in marriage to Lester Arneson in Marietta, Minnesota. The couple farmed and raised their family in Sandnes Township until moving into Cottonwood in 1976. Three children were born to this union: Caroline, Kevin and Margaret. Florence returned to teaching from 1965 – 1980. Lester died in 1982. In 1984, she was united in marriage to Harold Gredvig in Cottonwood, Minnesota. The couple continued living in Cottonwood. Harold died in 1991. Florence loved knitting, sewing and playing bridge with a circle of friends. She was active in her congregation, Christ Lutheran Church, and devoted to her friends and family. Florence was most passionate about her grandchildren and was very proud that they all graduated from college. Florence died on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at her residence in Cottonwood. She is survived by her daughter Caroline (and Dan) Mason of Minneapolis, son Kevin (and Gwen) Arneson of Cottonwood, daughter Margaret (and Kim) Schmidt of Luverne, step-daughter Nancy (and Darwin) Meyer of Cottonwood, grandchildren Bjorn (and Brittany) Arneson, Ingrid (and Paul) Rasmussen, Hans Arneson, Isaac Schmidt, Aaron Schmidt, Kara Mason, Anna Mason (and Kevin Kniebel), great-grandchild Delbert Kniebel, brothers Eugene Willis and Roger (and Naomi) Willis, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, her mother and infant sister, who both died in childbirth; step-mother, Ann Willis; husbands, Lester and Harold; sister-in-law Henrietta Willis and her son Craig Willis; sister-in-law Glenda Kompelien and her husband, Orville, and their daughter, Glenyce Aakre.