Carolyn Tande, 83, Medford
Carolyn Tande, of rural Medford, died unexpectedly at her home on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at the Medford Funeral Home, 310 E. Central Ave. from 5-7 p.m. Funeral service will be Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, at 11 a.m. at First English Lutheran Church in Faribault, with the visitation continuing at the church one and a half hours prior to the service.
A grave site service will be held for family following, where she will be reunited alongside her husband on what would have been their 59th wedding anniversary.
Carolyn Trine (Opjorden) Tande, named after both grandmothers (Caroline and Trine) was born March 5, 1940, to Torfinn and Ella (Nelson) Opjorden in Milan, Minn., a small Lutheran Norwegian community, which offered her the unique experience of growing up on a farm IN town!
Baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Kviteseid Lutheran Church, church activities were a priority, and enjoyed immensely throughout the years. She was active in Lutheran Churches of Reformation, Lutheran Disaster Response, Luther League, and her church choir.
Carolyn graduated with honors in 1958 from Milan High School where she enjoyed singing in the choir and small vocal groups. She played tenor saxophone in the band, pep band, marching band, and the quartet. One could even find her twirling a baton during parades.
She continued her education at St Olaf College (if your name was Opjorden, it was expected that would be your college) and could be found always singing in the choir, on the rink with her ice-skating club in the winter and golfing with her team in the spring. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1962 and worked as an Extension Home Economist in Rice County.
She later attended a Southeast District Extension Conference and met Larry who was the Assistant Ag Agent in Steele County at the time. A few months later, shy Larry was strongly encouraged by a co-worker of his to invite Carolyn to attend a movie with him that was playing in Owatonna. He was sure she wouldn't go but finally called. She said, "Yes,” but it would have to be the second show because she had choir practice at First English Lutheran Church earlier in the day. The movie was "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and the rest was history.
Larry and Carolyn were married Oct. 11, 1964, at Kviteseid Lutheran Church in Milan on a beautiful Autumn Sunday afternoon. The Medford area is where they settled since 1964.
Carolyn's love, passion, and skill set as a Home Economist translated into a dream job with the U of M Extension Service, Floral Design, and a Sales Associate in the Women's & Children's Department at Cabela's.
She enjoyed judging at area county fairs as well as the Minnesota State Fair in the home economies and horticulture areas of 4-H and open class. Carolyn recently judged in Waseca County, Dodge County, Rice County, Wabasha County, Olmsted County, Mower County, Freeborn County and Steele County as well as at the MN State Fair. She was active in the Steele County Home Economics Association and previously honored the coveted role as president. Carolyn was also active in garden club, and a former member of the Owatonna Community Band.
Carolyn carried with her a strong faith in God. Membership at First English Lutheran began in 1965. Carolyn was very involved in her church community choir, Vacation Bible
Studies teacher, decorating committee, altar guild, and mission quilting. She had sewn over 300 drawstring backpacks for Lutheran World Relief.
Over the years, traveling took them to most of the states and several foreign countries due mainly to Larry's judging of dairy shows and his work with National Holstein USA as president. Her favorite countries were Spain and Ireland.
Their 82-acre hobby farm gave her lots of opportunities for gardening where she had over 200 hostas, numerous dahlias, roses and pretty much anything else she could enjoy watching flourish.
Family was a priority for Carolyn. She and Larry were blessed with two children: daughter Tara (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) who is a German Tour Guide and Emergency and Incident Coordinator at Rick Steves' Europe. Son Thane (Prior Lake, Minn.) is the owner of Knotty Oar Marina in Prior Lake. Carolyn was proud of the work ethic her children developed as well as the parenting skills they have shown with her seven grandchildren who were grandma's pride and joy.
Tara and Thane were blessed to have them as parents and truly understood the meaning of “till death do us part" as they watched Mom take care of Dad in his later years with grace, love, and compassion.
Carolyn was proud of her children but was most happy singing the praises of her grandchildren and always sharing stories of what they were up to; Tatum, Tana, Dakin, Dahvi, and Dassi Tande and Poppy and Sage Swenson. They will take great pride in knowing how much grandma (and grandpa) loved them. They will always remember grandma's laugh and smile, her ability to squish bugs with her fingers, the beautiful flowers in her yard, and her knowledge of every bird and animal that passed through the meadow, field, pasture, and yard.
Carolyn will lovingly be remembered not only by her children and grandchildren, but her brother Luther (Martha) Opjorden, brothers-in-law Gerald (Arla) Tande and Paul Tande, nephews Christopher, Stewart, and Nicholas (Opjorden), Rhys and Seth (Tande), nieces Karen and Thea (Tande).
She is preceded in death by her husband, Larry, parents Torfinn and Ella Opjorden, parents-in-law Leslie and Gertrude Tande, nephew Kurt Tande and niece Wendy Tande.
Memorials may be directed to First English Lutheran Radio Fund or donor's choice.