Elmore G Ramstad

  Elmore G. Ramstad, 97 years old, formerly of Shelly, MN, died at his home in Grand Forks, ND on November 3, 2016.   Elmore was born December 31, 1918 to Ole and Ruth (Anderson) Ramstad, Westfield Township. He was delivered by his grandmother, a midwife.  He was the first of five children.  He was baptized in the Hoff Lutheran Church at rural Sharon, ND.  He attended country school for seven years, and graduated from Sharon High School in 1937.  His first jobs were as a surveyor, a painter and a farm worker.  He farmed for himself one year.  He worked for Hogenson Construction building grain elevators in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Oregon.  He and a friend spent a year working their way to the West Coast and worked construction in the San Francisco area.  He and his brother, Harold, built an excavating machine and eventually in 1948 Elmore formed Ramstad Plumbing, Trenching and Excavating in Shelly, MN, which continued until his retirement in 1983.  Elmore and Ethel built a home in Shelly where they lived until 2006 when they moved to Grand Forks.   Elmore married Ethel Saure of Reynolds, ND in the St. Olaf Lutheran Church of rural Reynolds on January 28, 1956. They have been married 60 years. They had one daughter.   Elmore was active in the community. He was a member of the Fire Department, Sons of Norway, Western Minnesota Stream Threshers Reunion and Shelly Marsh River Lutheran Church. Elmore enjoyed his shop and could build and repair most anything. What parts couldn’t be purchased, he would make.  Elmore enjoyed roller skating and had skating rinks in the area towns.  He and Ethel met at the Roller Rink in Grand Forks.  Elmore and Ethel enjoyed traveling in the Pacific Northwest and made two trips to Norway to visit family.   He is survived by his wife, Ethel, and daughter, Elaine of Grand Forks; sister, Marlene  Pearson of Fargo, ND; nieces, Jill Pearson of Boston, Massachusetts, and Renee Ramstad of Denver, Colorado; nephew, Wade Pearson, St. Louis, Missouri; sister-in-law, Betty Picker of Finley, ND.    Elmore is preceded in death by his brothers, Harold Ramstad, and Orell (Shirley) Ramstad; and by a sister, Adrienne Ramstad   Memorial Services will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, November 8, 2016 in Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM Prayer Service in Amundson Funeral Home. Visitation will continue for the hour before the service No flowers, please. Memorials may be sent to Altru Hospice. Arrangements are with Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks. www.amundsonfuneralhome.com