Harriet Skattum

Hills, MN Harriet Skattum, age 94 of Hills, MN died Sunday, January 25, 2015 at Sanford Hospital Luverne, MN. Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 28th at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, MN, with Rev. Grant Fischer officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, Jan. 27th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills. Judith Harriet Skattum was born September 18, 1920 at Sinai, South Dakota, the daughter of Nickolai and Anna (Lund) Olson. She was raised in Sinai, SD and graduated from Sinai High School in 1938. She continued her education at Sioux Valley Hospital where she received her Registered Nursing Degree. While in nursing school she cared for a young man who eventually would become her husband. After completing her studies she worked for Dr. Donald Odland and became longtime friends. She also worked at the New Ulm Hospital for a short while before returning to Hills. Harriet was united in marriage to Don Skattum on September 19, 1943 in Sinai, SD. The couple moved to the Skattum farm south of Hills, MN, where they became members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Harriet was active with the Women's Circle. While her children were young she worked as a Private Duty Nurse for a few years. Then she was employed as a R.N. at Luverne Medical Center for 27 years. She also worked and volunteered for many years at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. In 1983 Harriet was honored as the first recipient of the "Outstanding Citizen Award". She was known for her Lefse baking. Harriet's husband, Don died on April 22, 1996 in Luverne, MN, after 52 years of marriage. She continued to remain active in the Hills Community. In 2008 she moved to an apartment in Tuff Village Retirement Home and remained living there until March of 2014, when she entered Tuff Memorial Home. She is survived by her two children, Margo (her husband, Dewayne) Edwards of Forestburg, SD and Lon (his wife, Ann) Skattum of Laguna Niguel, CA; five grandchildren, Kjersti Skattum, Sonja (husband, Mike) Brough, Nick Skattum, Greg Edwards, and Gretchen (husband Phil) Franklin; three great-grandchildren, Jadyn Franklin, Autumn Franklin and Camden Brough; two sisters-in-law, Teddy Skattum of Dearwood, MN and Christi Olson of Brookings, SD; one brother-in-law, Mark (wife Jan) Skattum of Northglenn, CO; three special friends, Carol Wieneke, Vickie Nelson and Mary Odland; and many nieces, nephews and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nickolai and Anna Olson; loving husband, Don Skattum; four brothers, Edwin Olson, Art Olson, Clarence Olson and Walter "Pully" Olson; seven sisters, Agnes VanderWaal, Nora Heublein, Myrtle Cuneo, Elizabeth Brusegar, Ester Olson, Irene Schade and Jean Larson.