Richard Charles NESJA

Notes:

Richard Charles Nesja,82, formerly of Eleva, WI died Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at home in Altoona, WI. Richard was born at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Otto (Ben) and Esther Nesja. He grew up on a farm south of Eddy Lane, on the north side of Eau Claire, with his little brother David.

Richard attended Sam Davey Elementary, Central Junior High and graduated from Memorial High School in 1959. He also earned an associate degree in electronics and a first-class radio-telephone license with radar endorsement from Eau Claire Technical College (now CVTC). Richard was involved in Cub Scouts for two years and in the Boy Scouts of America for seven years, earning 36 merit badges, his Eagle award in May 1956, the bronze, silver, and gold palm awards, the Pro Deo et Patria and the Order of the Arrow. In addition, he received an outstanding leadership recognition for his contributions to Troop 40. In high school, Richard was involved with several clubs involving electronics, radios, projectors and photography. He helped build and maintain the PA system at Carson Park for high school and Wisconsin State College football games. He was the repairman at school for anything electronic. He was awarded perfect attendance for four years of high school. After high school, he worked for Birch Street TV Repair Shop, Star Tube Co. and WEAQ radio studio & transmitter as a repair technician.

He was united in marriage on December 21, 1963 to Sylvia Grace Rundhaug in the beautiful Baldwin church and they moved to Superior, Wisconsin. They were married for almost 59 years. To this union, two daughters were born, Jorunn Ann in 1964 and Jodi Lynne in 1968.

Richard took a job at Duluth Avionics - Litton Industries in July 1963 as an electronic testing specialist for governmental navigation systems and radar. In 1970, Richard took a job at Rassbach Communications and moved the family to the Nesja family homestead in rural Eau Claire County, building their new home. He retired from Air Communications in 2006 on his 65th birthday after working there over 25 years. Richard was always tinkering with electronics that needed to be fixed. When the printer power supply on the computer stopped working, he hooked it up to a car battery in the basement so Sylvia could print the remaining Broiler Fest postcards. His theory was, why buy a new printer if it just needed a power source. He was also a licensed amateur radio operator, call sign WD9IJV, and he enjoyed talking radio with other local operators.

Richard is survived by his daughters, Jorunn Berg and Jodi (Grant) McElwaine, two grandchildren, Devin (Lauren) Berg and McKayla (David Bemis) McElwaine, and great-grandchildren, Nora and Olin Berg. He is further survived by brother-in-law Paul (Ann) Rundhaug, nieces Charlene (Robert) Page, Susan (Scott) Conradson, Victoria Nesja and nephew Doug (Rosabel) Nesja; grandnieces and nephews, Katy and Thomas Page, Erica Conradson, Wyatt Nesja, Emmah and June Nesja; sister-in-law, Donna Nesja and many other cousins, friends, neighbors, and family. Richard will be met in heaven by his wife Sylvia, brother David, two baby brothers, his parents Ben and Esther and stepmother Hazel, brother-in-law Ken, and several aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbors. Finally, Richard will join his beloved pets Maggie, Jack, Kandie, Cardinal, Raven and so many others who have crossed the rainbow bridge ahead of him.

Richard married Sylvia Grace RUNDHAUG on 28 Dec 1963 in Wisconsin. Sylvia was born on 2 Aug 1938 in St. Croix County, Wisconsin; died on 29 Aug 2022 in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin; was buried in Northside Lutheran Cemetery, Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Peace Lutheran Church near Baldwin

Other Events and Attributes:

• Confirmation: 26 Jun 1927, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

Notes:

Confirmation:
Our Saviors Lutheran Church

Died:
Maplewood Nursing Home, Bloomer

Otto married Esther PETERSON on 3 Sep 1937 in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. Esther was born on 6 Dec 1913 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado; died on 8 Oct 1970 in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin; was buried in Northside Lutheran Cemetery, Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mrs. Otto B. Nesja, 56, of 2727 Monroe St., died at her home Saturday morning.

Funeral services will be Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. from First Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Raynard Midthun officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Nesja was born in Denver, Colo., and had been a resident of Eau Claire for the past 50 years. She was a member of First Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Nesja is survived by her husband: two sons Richard, Superior, David, at home; one brother, Bernt Peterson, New Auburn; and two granddaughters.

Friends may call Tuesday afternoon and evening and until noon Wednesday at Lenmark's.

She and Otto had two sons who died on the day they were born: one in 1940 and one in 1051. Both are buried in Northside.

Birth:
Find A Grave says 13 December

Died:
Find A Grave says 10 October

Theodore married Carrie HATLELI. Carrie was born on 8 Jun 1877 in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; died on 13 Aug 1953 in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The ELCA record for his son Theodore’s birth in 1873 refers to him as Embreth Olsen Nesja and his wife as Barbara Tollefsdatter.

In the 1880 census, as Albert Olson, he and his family live in Preston Twp, Fillmore County, Minnesota.

In the 1900 census, as Albert Nesja, he and his wife live with their son Theodore in Preston Twp, Fillmore County.

An article that appeared in several Wisconsin newspapers, datelined Eau Claire: A horse driven by Albert Olson Nesja, a farmer, aged 69, took fright on a business street this morning, the horse kicking the dash board to pieces. Just as Nesja fell toward the horse’s hoof struck him on the head and killed him instantly.

Engebret married Barbro Tollevsdatter. Barbro (daughter of Torleiv Andrisson RØVANGSMOEN and Margrete Johannesdatter HÅLIEN) was born on 28 Sep 1847 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 12 Jan 1909 in Fillmore County, Minnesota; was buried in Lanesboro Cemetery, Lanesboro, Fillmore County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 12 Dec 1847, Høre, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

dwfrench1’s French Family Tree has her as the Barbro born in Vang on 28 Sep 1847 (bapt. 12 Dec) to the unmarried couple Tollev Andersen Røvang and Magrethe Johannesdatter Holien. Her baptismal sponsors were Halvor Arnesen Helle, Randi Johannesdatter Holien, Thora Andersdatter Helle, Marith Andersdatter Røvang, and Randi Qval.

In the 1900 census, she has had 6 children, 5 still living. She came to the U.S. in 1862. She and her husband have been married for 33 years.

Jill Amble calls her Barbro Tollevsdatter Ellestad. So does sommerfam.