Virginia Louise Harstad

Virginia L. Harstad, age 91, of Alexandria formerly of Parkers Prairie, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 4, 2023, at Knute Nelson Care Center in Alexandria.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria with Rev. Don Wilke and and Rev. Kirk Lee  officiating. Interment will be at the Rock Prairie Cemetery in Stony Brook Township.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Monday, September 11, 2023, at the Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria and will continue one hour prior to the service.  

Virginia Louise was born on August 8, 1932, in Moorhead, Minnesota, to Carl and Hilda (Wright) Krause. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie in 1946 and graduated from Parkers Prairie High School in 1951.  During her high school years, she nannied for several area families. Virginia married Louis Harstad on August 27, 1954, in a ceremony at a friend's house in Alexandria. The couple began their family life in Alexandria. Tragedy struck early in their marriage with the loss of their first-born daughter, but they persevered, raising four sons. Professionally, Virginia worked as a bookkeeper at Penrose Oil in Parkers Prairie. She further honed her skills at Rural Publishing and the United Telephone System Co in Alexandria before retiring. In her retirement, Virginia remained active and engaged. She took great joy in gardening and canning produce, as well as cultivating beautiful flowers around her home. Always committed to family, she played an active role in both her children's and grandchildren's lives. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran church in Parkers Prairie, Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria, and lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary Post #936.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Louis in 2001; daughter, Debra Rae in 1959; and sisters, Betty Jane (Duane) Huizinga and Florence (Marvin) Kluver.

She is survived by her 4 sons, Kevin (Lynette) Harstad of Dickenson, ND, Mike (Teresa) Harstad of Parkers Prairie, Rob (Alice) Harstad of Anacortes, WA, and Jeff Harstad of Alexandria; grandchildren, Mikey JR., Jessica, Julie, Josh, Elizabeth, and Rebekah; great-grandchildren, Aiden and Preston; sisters, Della (Norman) Sukke and Janice (Marvin) Suchy; brother, Walt (Fran) Krause; and many nieces and nephews.

Serving as casket bearers will be Mikey JR., Jessica, Elizabeth, and Rebekah Harstad, Galen Huizinga and Ron Suchy.