Rudolph WEFLEN

Notes:

Rudolph "Rudy" Weflen, 83, of Tioga, died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2002, at Providence St. Peter Hospital at Olympia, Wash., following a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Assembly of God Church in Tioga. The Rev. Brian Anderson will officiate and interment will follow at United Cemetery.

Rudolph Weflen was born June 14, 1918, on the Weflen farm in Tioga Township, Williams County, the son of Julius and Tilda Marie (Rye) Weflen. He was raised and educated at Tioga.

He moved to Rosewood, Minn., in 1936, where he worked on the railroad and on a farm. He met Esther Soiney and they were united in marriage on April 24, 1941, at Thief River Falls, Minn. They later moved to North Dakota to farm and raise their family.

Rudy, as he was known to his family and friends, was a loving father and a friend to all. He enjoyed making people laugh and kept that spirit until the end.

He was a member of the Tioga Assembly of God Church, where he served on the church council. He was a member of the American Paint Horse and American Quarter Horse Associations. He enjoyed breaking horses. In his later years, he enjoyed going to auctions and giving buggy rides to people.

Rudy is survived by five children, June McGuiness of Manhatten, Mont., Gary Weflen of Tioga, the Rev. Dennis Weflen and his wife, Wanda, of Gainsville, Fla., Judy Larson and her husband, Jim, of Olympia, Wash., and Dale Weflen and his wife, Susan, of Tioga; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Jean Swanson of Bismarck, Betty Jordan of Phoenix and Doris Iverson of Tioga; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Esther; a son, Howard; three brothers, Walter, Roy and Duvane; and three sisters, Orda, Delores and Lilly.

Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Tioga and for an hour before services Saturday at the church.

Lsharp’s entry for Rudolph on Find A Grave says: Rudy was one of four sons and six daughters born to first generation Norwegian Americans, Julius and Tillie (Rye) Weflen. He was raised on the family farm in Williams County, North Dakota, close to Tioga. Rudy and his brothers, Walter, Roy and Duane, all learned the skills of a farmer.

Rudy's sisters, Lily, Doris, Orda, Delores, Betty and Jean all married. Lily, Betty and Orda lived outside of North Dakota as they got older. Doris, Orda and Jean married and raised their families in Tioga.

The Depression and drought hit rural North Dakota and farming became impossible for several years. His parents moved into Tioga, where Rudy completed his education. Rudy's father worked for the railroad in Tioga. The Weflens were hard working, faithful people who were loved and respected by all.

Rudy married a local girl, Esther Soine. They raised their six children on a farm outside of Tioga. Their oldest son, Howard, died shortly after getting married and is buried at Tioga as well.

Rudy and Esther lived in the Tioga area the rest of their lives.

Family/Spouse: Esther SOINEY. Esther (daughter of George “Alfred” SOINEY and Nellie HAGEN) was born on 24 Apr 1920 in Pennington County, Minnesota; died on 24 Jun 1999 in Williams County, North Dakota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Howard married C.J. SAWYER [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]