ARNA GABRIELSON, age 91, of Luverne, died Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at the Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.  She was born on February 6, 1923 in the village of Konsmo, Norway, to Sigvart and Lina Birkeland Helle.  They came to the U.S. through Ellis Island when Arna was 20 mos. old and settled in Rock County.  She was later joined by a brother, Oscar.  Arna was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.  She started country school not knowing a word of English and graduated from Luverne High School with the class of 1940.  Arna did clerical work in Luverne and worked in a factory in Chicago for two years during WW II.
Arriving back in Rock County she married George Hoiland Gabrielson on March 12, 1949.  They began farming "under the mounds" near the Rock River and later southeast of Luverne.  They had two daughters, Linda and Lona.  Arna led a busy life caring for her family, tending a large vegetable garden and raspberry bushes. She was a wonderful cook and baker and was known for her chocolate angelfood cakes and lemon meringue pies as well as lefse and other Norwegian specialties.  She kept a warm, welcoming and spotless house and loved to set a beautiful table for their many family and friends' gatherings.
She was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church Women, Luverne Lions 92, was the unofficial secretary for George's Farmers Union Insurance business and was a whiz at remembering people and dates.  Fluent in Norwegian, she was central to keeping relatives in touch on both sides of the ocean.  The family took regular vacations where she would dutifully get out the gas cook stove and whip up bacon and eggs for breakfast along the road at a pretty spot of George's choosing.  George and Arna traveled to Norway three times and visited every state in the union except Hawaii.  They were lifelong members of the "Young Couples Club" and had many happy times with good friends as well as family.

Arna is survived by her daughters Linda (Harlan) Smith of Greenfield, MA and Lona (Don) Klosterbuer of Luverne; four grandsons - Simon (Emily Letts) Smith, Carl (Nicole Cohen) Smith, Nicholas (Amanda Prutzman) Smith and Benjamin (partner Jignasha Rana) Smith; two granddaughters - Sarah Klosterbuer and Abby (partner Joe Welna) Klosterbuer; and two great-grandsons - Soren Smith and George Smith-Cohen.  She is also survived by sisters-in-law Florence Helle, Audrey Gabrielson, Olga Gabrielson, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband George in 2010, her parents, her brother Oscar, and a nephew, Steve Helle.
Visitation will be Friday from 4-6 pm at the Dingman Funeral Home in Luverne; and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Funeral will be 10:30 am Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church, in Luverne, officiated by Rev. Josh Enderson. Burial will be in the Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Memorials are preferred to the Good Samaritan Society Luverne Mary Jane Brown Home or Grace Lutheran Church.
To view an online obituary, sign a virtual register book or order flowers, please visit www.dingmannandsons.com

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