Sylve M. "Sy" Stende

Sylve M. Stende (Sy) Sylve M. Stende (Sy) died Monday, Dec. 31, 2007 at the Lutheran Memorial Home, Mayville, ND at the age of 85, in the company of many family members. Sy was born July 19, 1922 in Ulen, MN to Edwin and Nellie (Nelson) Stende, attended country school and was confirmed at Aspelund Lutheran Church, Flom, MN. Sy joined the US Army Dec.1, 1942 where he drove tanks during WW II. He served most of his time in the Pacific Ocean Island of Saipan. He was honorably discharge as a Cpl, after 3 years of service, and worked as a farmer for Joe Milton, Wynmere, ND. It was then he met, and then wed, Charlotte (Shotty) Odegaard on June 6, 1948 at the Viking Lutheran Church. In 1956, they purchased the Red Owl Store in Flom, MN, where they also started a locker plant. In 1968, he purchased the Mayville Red Owl and operated Sy’s Red Owl until his retirement in 1982. After emersing himself in raising 5 children, he took to raising flowers and vegetables as a gifted gardener and also was an avid golfer. Upon retirement, took up woodworking becoming masterful at Intarsia, which he ultimately marketed locally and with dealers in the Twin Cities. Sy and Shotty enjoyed traveling domestically and to Greece, and areas of his heritage~ Norway and Sweden. After suffering a debilating stroke in 1997, Sy and Shotty moved to an apartment in Portland, ND where his loving wife was his tireless and devoted caregiver until his admission to the Lutheran Memorial Home in Mayville in June, 2007. He will forever be remembered for his quiet-strength, dignity, kindness, patience, humility, perserverence, having a genuine appreciation for his friends and his unwavering devotion to his wife and family. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte “Shotty”, wife of 59 years; sons, Rodney (Kathy) Stende of Gladstone, MI, Gary (Maggie) Stende of Fargo, ND, David (Tonya) Stende, of Fargo, ND, daughters Susan Klabo, Mentor, MN, Peggy (Mike) Fugleberg of St. Paul, MN and one special niece, Eileen (Ron) Holt of Thompson, ND. Also surviving are his loving grandchildren Eric, Jeff, Joanna, Kristine, Katie, Amanda, Kerry, Michael, Jill, Landon, Chelsea, Thomas and Hannah and the ones that made him smile the most, Great-Grandchildren Dillon, Maximus, Kesha, Colleen, Samantha, Elizabeth, and Chloe, and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, sisters Eleanor Odland and Gladys Houglum; brothers Eugene (killed in WW II), Lester, and Clarence Stende. Visitation: Visitation will be at the Baker Funeral Home, 38 1st Ave. NW, Mayville, ND Thursday, Jan.3, 2007, from 5-7 with a Prayer Service at 6:30 pm. Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m., Friday, Jan. 4th, 2007, Mayville Lutheran Church 23 3rd Ave. SE, Mayville, ND. Burial: Mayville Cemetery, Mayville, ND.