Herald Journal Publishing

Publisher of Herald Journal, Dassel-Cokato Enterprise Dispatch, Delano Herald Journal, McLeod County Chronicle, Arlington Enterprise, & West Carver News

Hilma W. Worden Obituary – 4/30/2010


Hilma Wilhelmina Worden, age 90, of Litchfield, died Friday, April 30, 2010, at the Emmanuel Home in Litchfield.

She was born June 7, 1919, in Finlayson, to Isaac and Susanna (Truth-Trutsa) Brandstrom. Hilma was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Finnish Lutheran Church in Finlayson.

She was raised by her parents along with her four brothers and four sisters on a farm near Finlayson. Her father immigrated from a Finnish community in Sweden and worked as a carpenter; her mother was an immigrant from Finland.

Hilma graduated from the Finlayson High School in 1936.

She married Vernon Worden Feb. 25, 1940, and moved to Litchfield, where they rented a farm just north of town. They soon purchased their own farm just west of town, and within a few years started raising mink.

Hilma will be remembered for always being in the kitchen, either cooking for her family and hired help, or for the long hours canning and processing food from their large garden. She loved to stop and have coffee with the many visitors who would come out to the farm. Sometimes those visitors would be treated to her singing, yodeling, and playing various instruments at her husband’s request.

Hilma had a great love of music. She played the accordion, guitar, Jews harp, harmonica, and the organ. Family holidays usually included her playing and singing.

A member of the First Lutheran Church in Litchfield, Hilma enjoyed attending women’s prayer group and Women’s Aglow.

She is survived by her daughters, Marlene (William) Norman of St. Paul, Diane Worden of Litchfield, Jean (Richard) Almgren of Gunnison, CO, Joanne (Michael) Daniel of Sartell, Carol Worden of Chapel Hill, NC, Debra (Michael) Boerner, and Linda (Steve) Warner, all of Litchfield; one son, Edward (Shawn) Worden of Litchfield, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; and a large extended family.

Hilma was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Worden; four brothers, Toivo (Tom), Teutori (Ted), Yrjo (George Henry), and Waino Edward; four sisters, Lempi Maria, Helmi Dagmar (Pearl), Lempi Susanna, and Lillie Maria; and a granddaughter, Linea Baktuit.

The funeral service took place Thursday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Interment was at Lake Ripley Cemetery.

Visitation was Wednesday, May 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield, and continued Thursday for one hour prior to the service at the church.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.