THORNIUS MELLEM OCTOBER 10, 1854

THORINUS MELLEM

OCTOBER 10, 1854 - NOVEMBER 9, 1949

*OCTOBER 24, 1927

A birthday party was celebrated in honor of T Mellem's seventy-third birthday last Sunday and the following persons attended: Mr. and Mrs. SS Nordgaard and family from Viking; Mr. and Mrs. Henning Backlund and family from Stratcona; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mellem; Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mellem, and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bloom from this place. A number of presents where left in remembrance, and the afternoon was spent socially.

OCTOBER 18, 1928

T. Mellem celebrated his 74th birthday in the midst of a number of his children and neighbors last Sunday. Mellem plans to leave on Wednesday for a two weeks visit with his daughter Mrs. Henning Backlund and family at Roseau and may be accompanied back by the Backlunds who plan to make an auto trip here.

OCTOBER 7, 1929

Twenty two relatives and friends met at the T. Mellem home on Sunday to give him a surprise on his 75th birthday. Beautiful remembrances were left and the afternoon was spent socially and terminating with lunch.

OCTOBER 14, 1937

T. Mellem was pleasantly surprised on his 83rd birthday when a number of relatives gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem. Those present were, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mellem and Family; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mellem and family; Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem and family; Mrs. Carl Ranum; Mr. and Mrs. Christ Evanson; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Anderson, and Mr. and Mrs. Charley Larson and family of TRF. T Mellem was presented a blanket from the group that had gathered in his home. A large birthday cake with 83 candles was the center piece of the lunch table. The afternoon was spent in visiting and at 4:00 PM, the group listened to The Covenant Time on the station KFAM.

OCTOBER 16, 1941

T. Mellem was honored on his 87th birthday Sunday where the following gathered at the Carl Bloom home in his honor, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mellem and Joyce; Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem, Ervin, Enid, and Harlan; Mrs. Clarence Mellem and Douglas; Rev. and Mrs. Duerre; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Anderson, Dorothy, Richard, and Robert; Mrs. Minnie Mellem; Fern Mellem, and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bloom. A bed lamp was given to Grandpa Mellem by the group and also Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rye. Lunch was served by the self invited guests at the close of the afternoon of visiting.

OCTOBER 12, 1944

A surprise birthday party was held at the Mission church Sunday afternoon to honor T. Mellem who celebrated his 90th birthday on Tuesday, October 10. The speakers of the afternoon were Rev FG Duerre and Rev. O Sande. Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsten and Vernon Backlund of Roseau, grandchildren of Mr. Mellem, sang two duets. Fern Mellem, Enid Mellem, and Inez Hellquiest also sang. Rev and Mrs. O Sande sang two Scandinavian songs. Lunch was served at the Minnie Mellem home by all the children immediately after the service.

Those attending from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Henning Backlund; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Backlund and children; Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Backlund, and Mr. and Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsten and family all of Roseau, Mr. and Mrs. Backlund of Strathcona; and Mrs. Carl Olson of Newfolden.

Mr. Mellem was given a cash purse as a token from his children, grand children, and all who attended.

OCTOBER 17, 1946

A group of family and friends helped T Mellem celebrate his ninety-second birthday at his home Wednesday. Those who attended were Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mellem; Mrs. Carl Bloom; Mr. And Mrs. Emil Mellem and Harlan; Mr. And Mrs. Lloyd Anderson and children; Mr. And Mrs. H Rye and Oliver. Gifts from the group were presented to T Mellem and Lunch was served.

OCTOBER 28, 1947

Grandpa Mellem was honored on his 93rd birthday last Friday evening at the Emil Mellem home. Those who helped celebrate that evening were Mr. And Mrs. Henning Backlund and Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsteh of Roseau, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sande and LaVerne Bloom of Thief River Falls. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mellem; Mrs. Carl Bloom; Mr. And Mrs. Lloyd Anderson and family, and Mr. And Mrs. Emil Mellem and Harlan. A lovely decorated cake which was baked by Mrs. Rolland Sande was the centerpiece of the lunch table. Grandpa opened a large number of cards and gifts. He received cards from California, Washington, Michigan, New York and Oregon. In the afternoon of the same day, Mrs. Martin Swenson called on Grandpa Mellem and presented him with a gift and a card.

OCTOBER 1948

A birthday party was given in honor of Mellem on his ninety-fourth birthday on Sunday. Birthday cakes were brought by Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsten of Roseau and Mrs. Rolland Sande Thief River Falls. Dinner was brought by all. Guests were Mr. and Mrs. Henning Backlund and Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsten and son Gary all of Roseau; Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Sande and son of Thief River Falls; Mr. and Mrs. PC Sorenson of Fargo; Mr. and Mrs. Perce Farrier and daughter Patty of Winnipeg; Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mellem, Vernon and Joyce; Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem, Ervin and Harlan, and Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Anderson and children.

OCTOBER 13, 1949

The friends and relatives of Mr. T. Mellem gathered at the home of Mrs. Carl Bloom*** on Sunday to help Mr. Mellem celebrate his 95th birthday.

NOVEMBER 11, 1949

RITES SET FRIDAY

AT ROSEWOOD FOR THORENUS MELLEM, AGE 95 YEARS.

Funeral rites will be conducted by Rev Norman Ericson of Viking at the Rosewood Mission Covenant church Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. for Thorenus Mellem, 95 who made his home on a farm near Rosewood for 65** years.

Mr. Mellem who has been confined at a local hospital for some time, passed away Wednesday afternoon. He is survived by five daughters, two sons, 36 grandchildren, and 56 great grandchildren and 9 great great grandchildren.

NOVEMBER 11, 1949

RITES HELD

This community wants to express their sincere sympathy on the death of their aged father, the bereaved Mellem family on Thorenus Mellem. He passed away at a Thief RIver Falls hospital Wednesday afternoon at the ripe old age of 95. The funeral rites were held at the Rosewood Covenant Church on Friday afternoon with Rev Ericson officiating. Pallbearers were Martin Swenson Sam Oswald, Albert Lappegaard, Selmer Haugen, Emil Helliquist and Victor Ranstrom and the burial was made at the Wildwood Cemetery in Rosewood, Minnesota.

NOVEMBER 17, 1949

THORENUS MELLEM LAID TO REST AT ROSEWOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON

Rev. C Norman Ericson of Viking conducted funeral services Friday afternoon at the Mission Covenant church at Rosewood for Thorenus Mellem, 95, who passed away at a local hospital on November 9. The body was laid to rest in the church cemetery.

Mr. Mellem was born October 10, 1854 in Trysil, Norway. He was married to Miss Pauline Pederson in Norway on November 16, 1875 and immigrated to the United States in 1882 working as a farm hand at Fargo, North Dakota until 1883 when they moved to New Solum Township near Rosewood.

On October 9, 1949 Mr. Mellem observed his 95th birthday at the home of his son, Emil at Rosewood. He has spent the past eleven years at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Carl Bloom at Rosewood.

He was a charter member of the Rosewood Covenant Church of which he also served as treasurer for 75 years. He was one of the organizers of the Rosewood school and served on its board for a number of years.

Survivors include six daughters:

Mrs. Nick Bergvall of Texas

Mrs. Alfred Carlson of New York

Mrs. Carl Larson of Spokane, Washington

Mrs. John Berglund of Pontiac, Michigan

Mrs. Henning Backlund of Roseau, Minnesota

Mrs. Carl Bloom of Rosewood, Minnesota

Two sons:

Pete Mellem of Rosewood, Minnesota

Emil Mellem of Rosewood, Minnesota

Also surviving are 36 grandchildren, 56 grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren. His wife, two sons and two daughters preceded him in death.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, Certificate of Death, T. Mellem died at St. Luke's hospital in Thief River Falls. He had been a patient there for 21 days. He was 95 years and 29 days old when he deceased. His body was prepared for burial at the Gulbranson Mortuary.

Neil D Nickerson MD states he saw him from October 15 to November 9 in hospital. Mellem died at 11:45 AM of broncho pneumonia with senility and exfoliative dermatitis as other diagnosises.

*The dates used are the day of publication

** Later publication states 75 years

*** Different document states it was at the Emil Mellem home

Happy memories to all who knew and loved him as well as those who have heard stories about him.

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