Meroah Fallgren

FUNERAL SERVICES : 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at the Laporte Baptist Church in Laporte, MNVISITATION : 6 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. on Monday, January 17, 2011 at the Laporte Baptist Church in Laporte, MN and for one hour prior toe services on Tuesday at the church.INTERMENT : Lakeport Cemetery in Laporte, MNSURVIVORS : Her nine children: Jill (Don) Masten, Bemidji, MN, Cleo(Cal) Johannsen of Lake George, MN, Carla(Gerald) Ricard of Glyndon, MN, Gwen (Craig) Bruns of Erhard, MN, Ted (Elaine)Fallgren of Smith River, CA, Jane (Larry) Wood of Catlett, VA, Mary Chronister of Farmersville, TX, Tom (Mary) Fallgren of Clear Lake, MN, and Paul Fallgren of Sacramento, CA; 19 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren; sisters, Cornelia Squibb of St. Cloud. MN and Catherine Sindelir of Morton, MN; brother, Rodney Squibb of Newport News, VA; brother- in-laws, Carl (Rita) Fallgren of Hacienda Heights, CA, Harold Fallgren of Brainerd, MN, Terry Reppert, and Warren Hutchinson of LeClaire, IA. MEROAH LaVAN FALLGRENSeptember 15, 1921 ~ January 13, 2011 Meroah LaVan (Squibb) Fallgren, age 89 of Laporte, MN, passed away on January 13, 2011 at the Trillium Assisted Memory Care in Bemidji, MN. Meroah was born on September 15, 1921 to Glennie and Elma (Maulsby) Squibb in Morton, MN. She grew up in the Morton area attending school and graduating as Salutatorian of her class in 1939. She later attended Elmhurst College where she excelled in her subjects. Meroah joined the Women"s Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943 and served her country both here in the states and abroad. She served as a plane dispatcher and clerk in Eagle Pass, Texas and with the European-African-Middle East Campaign. She decided to stay overseas another 5 months after the war to assist with a shortage of typists. After discharge from the service she worked for Northwest Airlines until she met and married Nels Edwin Fallgren on December 23, 1950 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. They made their home on the East coast until returning to Laporte, Minnesota in 1956, where they made their home for over 50 years. This union was blessed with nine children: Jill, Cleo, Carla, Gwen, Ted, Jane, Mary, Tom, and Paul. As her husband worked in the bridge building business, which took him away during the week, Meroah stayed home and raised her children, ran the cattle farm and tended a huge garden. Meroah was a woman of many talents. She was an excellent writer and mathematician, making her able to help out with homework assignments. She taught her children many homemaking skills, and gardening and farming techniques. Meroah filled her children"s lives with many enriching activities, always teaching and allowing for discovery. She was a hard working and joyful person, dwelling on the positive side of life. Meroah was a giving neighbor and friend to many. She volunteered as a 4-H leader, and at the Ah Gwah Ching Nursing facility. In her later years Meroah worked for the U.S. Forest Service as clerk typists under the Green Thumb Program. She will lovingly be remembered by her nine children: Jill (Don) Masten, Bemidji, MN, Cleo(Cal) Johannsen of Lake George, MN, Carla(Gerald) Ricard of Glyndon, MN, Gwen (Craig) Bruns of Erhard, MN, Ted (Elaine)Fallgren of Smith River, CA, Jane (Larry) Wood of Catlett, VA, Mary Chronister of Farmersville, TX, Tom (Mary) Fallgren of Clear Lake, MN, and Paul Fallgren of Sacramento, CA; 19 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren; sisters, Cornelia Squibb of St. Cloud. MN and Catherine Sindelir of Morton, MN; brother, Rodney Squibb of Newport News, VA; brother- in-laws, Carl (Rita) Fallgren of Hacienda Heights, CA, Harold Fallgren of Brainerd, MN, Terry Reppert, and Warren Hutchinson of LeClaire, IA; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Meroah was preceded in death by her husband, Nels Edwin Fallgren; her parents, Glennie and Elma Squibb; her brothers, John Squibb, Roelyn Squibb, and Glennie Squibb; and her granddaughter, Tonia Johannsen. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at the Laporte Baptist Church in Laporte, MN with Pastor Steve Dagget officiating. Organist will be Julia Kerby. Congregational hymns will be "Amazing Grace" and "She Loved". Active casketbearers will be Tim Johannsen, Teri Miller, Josh Ricard, Andrea Ricard, Jennifer Rocholl, Chealsey Fallgren, Scott Fallgren, Chrissy Fallgren, Samma Fallgren, and Reo Fallgren. Interment will be made in the Lakeport Cemetery in Laporte, MN.