Lois Beth Hesla

Lois Beth Hesla, age 97, of Austin, Minnesota, died Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at her home at the Cedars of Austin. She was born on December 2, 1925, at home in Sisseton, South Dakota, the daughter of Peter Larson and Ruth (Gunnarson) Larson. Lois was baptized and confirmed at Goodwill Lutheran Church in Sisseton, and graduated from Sisseton High School in 1943. She attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was homecoming queen her senior year. That year she met Inman Hesla of Clay County, South Dakota, and their courtship started on choir tour. Lois graduated from Augustana in 1947 and taught school in Odebolt, Iowa and Mitchell, South Dakota for the next two years, rooming with her high school friend, Esther Johnstad. Lois married Inman Hesla on July 24, 1949, in Sisseton, South Dakota. The couple moved to Dallas, Texas for a year and then to St. Paul, Minnesota where they started their family with the birth of Todd. They moved to Austin, Minnesota in July 1952. Lois always wanted four children and she and Inman had three more children in Austin.

 

Lois made her mark in Austin by being a wonderful wife and mother. She organized “play school” with other mothers in the neighborhood, taking turns to give each other breaks. Lois was a faithful, and very active member of her beloved St. Olaf Lutheran Church. She sang in the church choir for many years and taught Sunday School. And she earned a nursing degree from Austin Community College.

 

Lois was a Gray Lady at St. Olaf Hospital, where Inman was a doctor. She and Inman volunteered in the craft room at St. Mark’s. Lois enjoyed singing and playing games with her family, camping, bird watching, and spending a week at the lake with her family for over 40 years. She also enjoyed quilting and rosemaling.

 

Lois was an extremely kind, thoughtful, and generous person. She was very warm and caring, and was genuinely interested in other people. She had a gift for really connecting with you when you talked with her, and she made it a priority to befriend others. We felt that she was the kindest, most caring person we have ever known. Lois always had a very strong Christian faith, and believed that she would see Inman, her parents, and her brother Wyllis after she died. She was greatly loved and will be dearly missed by her family, friends and the Austin community.

 

Survivors include her four children, Todd (Karen Johnshoy) Hesla of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Beth Hesla of Waverly, Iowa, Joseph (Bonnie Beckel) Hesla of Minneapolis, and Bret (Jaimie Bennett) Hesla of Minneapolis; seven grandchildren, Peter Scholtz (Laura Nelson), Rebecca Scholtz (Chang Lau), Anna (Audun) Hepsø, Paul Scholtz (Marie), Samuel Hesla, Rosina Minich (Jack), and Jeremy Kleider; nine great-grandchildren, Henrik, Louis, Nils, Loren, Eleanor, Margrete, Renée, Sebastian, and Neve; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Inman Hesla, her parents, and her brother, Wyllis Larson.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Pastor Madison Chelberg officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. The service will be livestreamed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/LKGnb3fkRHw. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin, MN. Some of the family request that guests wear masks since vulnerable people will be present. The family prefers that memorials be directed to the St. Olaf Church Endowment Fund or to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD.