VIOLET BRUDELIE Obituary

VIOLET BRUDELIE 06/04/1927 - 12/01/2024 ODIN: A Celebration of Life Service for Violet Brudelie, 97, of Odin will be 11 a.m. Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Odin with burial in Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Odin. Violet was called to her eternal rest on December 1, 2024, in New Ulm. Visitation will be from 10 - 11 a.m. Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Odin. Kramer Family Funeral Home of Sherburn, Trimont and Welcome is in charge of Janice's arrangements. Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.kramerfuneralhome.com. Violet Selma Linnea (Sandberg) Brudelie was born June 4, 1927, to Anthon and Margaret (Anderson) Sandberg in Minnesota's Watonwan County and baptized in Kansas Lake Lutheran Church. Violet was called to her eternal rest on December 1, 2024, at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm after years coping with dementia that was often faced, according to those who worked with her, with smiles and hugs for her caregivers. For much of her life, Violet was a devoted member of Zion Lutheran Church in Odin. The first of five children, she was known to see her siblings as her charges, teaching them to take responsibility, as she did with her own, for their fun-loving or "naughty" escapades. While she worked at her parents' grocery store and cafe in her teens, Violet met her future husband Carlton Brudelie when he was a delivery driver stopping in regularly at the store. Apparently, she got his attention by putting gum on his truck seat and taking and wearing a dark green wool sweater he had left lying in the truck. Despite all that, after Carlton entered the U.S. Army in 1942, he made sure to maintain his relationship with Violet through letter writing. After being shot and wounded at Anzio Beach Head west of Rome and suffering from malaria, Carlton was honorably discharged, and the couple was married on August 18, 1945, at Kansas Lake Lutheran Church in rural Butterfield. In 1946, they took ownership of Odin Grocery and Cafe, which they sold nearly 25 years later in 1969. Violet enjoyed life as a retiree but was constant in keeping busy and in touch with family and friends. She and Carlton loved travelling to visit relatives in Sweden and Norway along with dear friends who had cared for Carlton throughout his recovery in Italy. Violet also treasured visits from Swedish and Norwegian relatives across many decades. As family historian, Violet spent a great deal of time creating detailed records of family and ancestors from both the Anderson and Sandberg sides of her family. She kept in touch across all generations. Although they had no children of their own, Violet and Carlton were particularly known to indulge their seventeen Sandberg nieces and nephews, many of whom report the same thing: suspecting that they were the most spoiled of all. In fact, one of Violet's nieces shared that they had made so many feel like they were the most important person in the world. Violet was known for starting her day eager to get things done, especially after that first good cup of coffee. Both Violet and Carlton had that special gift of making everyone around them feel welcomed and treasured. They taught many of us that giving to others is the most joyous experience we could have. As another niece mentioned, their incredible generosity was surely motivated by their strong faith. As our country worked on recovering from the Great Depression, the Brudelies helped families as they could to put food on the table and maintain basic necessities. They were also known to assist nieces and nephews as they faced life challenges of one kind or another. More than anything, many of us learned from Violet and Carlton that that there is always - always - room at the table. There is room for all of us - all of us - at the table here and now, forever. Violet is survived by her sister Ruthie Wojahn; brother-in-law David Finnegan; sister-in-law Sonja Lupke; 16 Sandberg nieces and nephews and their families; and numerous treasured relatives and friends. Violet was preceded in death by her parents, Anthon and Margaret Sandberg; her dear husband Carlton Brudelie; siblings Marjorie Finnegan, Marlyn Sandberg, Annette Fredrikson; nephew Jeffrey Wojahn; brother-in-law Howard Fredrikson; brother-in-law-Harry Wojahn; close friends Olgar and Florence Baarson; and many more beloved relatives and friends.