Hans Mikaelsen FROSLEE

Notes:

He registered for the draft on October 10, 1940, as Hans M Froslee. He gave Ruth as the person who would always know his address. At that time, they lived at Box 204, Vining, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

In the 1940 census, he and Ruth lived in Nidaros in Otter Tail County.

Visited Norway in 1948.

In the 1950 census, he and his family lived in the village of Vining in Otter Tail County. He was a cattle buyer.

Hans Michael, probably his grandson (b. 27 Sep 1959), married Elizabeth Ann O’Dowd in Otter Tail County on 10 Apr 1999 and Kathryn Marie Anderson in Clay County on 4 Jul 1981.

Hans married Ruth Caroline PETERSON on 28 Feb 1934 in South Dakota. Ruth (daughter of Peter Julius PETERSON and Hilda Louise JOHNSON) was born on 10 Aug 1911 in Adams County, North Dakota; died on 27 Aug 2014 in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Michael "Mike" Rustad Froslee, 79, of Vining died Thursday, April 23, 2015, at Lake Region Health Care in Fergus Falls. Mike was born on April 1, 1936 in Vining, to Hans and Ruth (Peterson) Froslee. He was baptized at Augustana Lutheran Church in Lemmon, South Dakota, and confirmed at Vining Lutheran Church. He attended grade school in Vining and graduated from Henning High School in 1955. As a youth, Mike was quite the adventurer, often taking off school to travel the country by train with cattle and meeting people from around the world. The highlight of his travels was going on a ship to Norway with his dad in the winter of 1948 to visit the family homeland.

After high school, Mike's adventures continued when he joined the Army and earned his jump wings as a paratrooper. Mike honorably served in the 101st Airborne Division from 1955 to 1957. After jumping out of planes for two years, Mike decided it was time to stay grounded and moved back to Vining to work with his father on the farm. While home, he met Virginia "Ginger" Mae Hoefert at the nurses' cottage in Fergus Falls. On March 28, 1959, they were united in marriage in Webster, South Dakota. To this union three children were born: Mick, Marcia and Brett. Mike and Ginger made their home in St. Paul, Minn., where Mike started doing blacktopping with B-tu-Mix. Then in 1961, farming called Mike home to Vining and he and Ginger moved to Elm Creek Ranch outside of Henning. However, after 3 years of no running water or an indoor bathroom, Mike talked Ginger into taking a trip out west to explore other opportunities. Three months later, they were back in St. Paul and they ultimately settled in Hastings for 9 years. In 1974, Mike and Ginger once again moved back up north to Vining with Mike commuting to the Cities for four years.

In 1978, Mike started his own successful business, Froslee Blacktopping and Sealcoating. Mike was a natural salesman, always ready to sit down with friends and strangers alike to have a cup of coffee and get to know them. After 21 years, Mike sold the business in 1995 and retired from blacktopping. However, Mike was not done working. He continued to haul dirt and gravel in his dump truck for whomever asked, was an active member of the community and the Watermelon Day Committee to include picking up the watermelon every year. Mike used any excuse he could come up with to buy a new Bobcat every few years, including giving it to Ginger for her birthday many times. Mike would take the winters off though, and from 1993 to 2009, he and Ginger would head to Texas to enjoy some sunshine and card playing.

Mike was able to get underway on a ship again, this time in 1996 with the US Navy. He cruised from Bermuda with his son and grandson sailing on the USS Philippine Sea as part of a Tiger cruise. Family military highlights also included being present for his son and then later his granddaughter receiving their Naval Aviator Wings in Pensacola.

His family was a special part of his life; Mike was always ready to advise and guide, just as he would assist any neighbor that needed a helping hand. His love for cattle often led to him spending time with his brothers or taking care of a "few" of his own. A regular at Big Foot or Henning, as having a cup of coffee was part of his identity. Mike loved to play cards with his many friends and family members, but some of his fondest memories were sitting around the kitchen table with his grandchildren playing cards with Grandpa. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Mike is survived by Ginger, his wife of 56 years, of Vining; his three children, Dr. H. M. "Mick" (Elizabeth) Froslee of Vining; Marcia (Mark) Daly of Andover, Minn.; Brett (Vicki) Froslee of Andover, Minn.; 12 grandchildren: Michael Paul, Julie, Ian, Brigitte, Joseph, and Norah Froslee, Jillian (Adam) Hobbs; Erin, Amber, and Tara Daly; Alexander and Jackson Froslee; one great-granddaughter: Evalyn Hobbs; three sisters: Janice (Roland) Saetre of Vining; Karen (John) Mack of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Ardell (Gary) Eide of Mesa, Ariz.; two brothers: Gregory (Gail) Froslee of Vining; and Bruce (Sue) Froslee of Clitherall; one aunt: Mildred Peterson of Fergus Falls; many other relatives and a host of friends. Preceding Mike in death were his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Lions Eye Bank, Lakeland Hospice, and Vining Quilters.

Michael married Virginia Mae HOEFERT on 28 Mar 1959 in Webster, Day County, South Dakota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She and Gary lived in Mesa, Arizona, at the time of her mother’s death.

Ardell married Gary EIDE on 15 Jun 1968 in Minnesota. Gary was born in 1944; died on 17 Sep 2017 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]