Margaret L Garr

  Margaret L. Garr Funeral Services for Margaret L. Garr, 98, East Grand Forks, MN will be 11:00 AM Thursday, November 3, 2016, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, East Grand Forks. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service. Private burial will be the following day in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Twin Valley. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Lutheran World Relief or The American Cancer Society in honor of Neil Garr.   Margaret Marie Lerud was born September 3, 1918, the daughter of Emil and Selma (Haugen) Lerud on her family’s farm near Twin Valley. She graduated from the Northwest school. Margaret earned her Bachelor’s Degree and graduated with distinction from the University of Minnesota in 1939 with a major in Home Economics and a minor in Science. She was inducted into Phi Upsilon Omicron Fraternity, an academic group.   Margaret taught school in Minnesota and Winnemuca, Nevada. Following news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, she enlisted in the Navy and was a Communications Officer. Upon her return, she moved to Wadena County, MN to work as a Home Extension agent, working with 4-H clubs, homemakers and rural families.   Margaret married Wayne M. Garr on April 18, 1949, in Twin Valley. They lived in East Grand Forks, Fargo, ND and Grand Forks, ND where Margaret was a volunteer for the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and Meals on Wheels. Her greatest efforts and personal pride has been sewing countless quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Her final career was sewing custom draperies.   Margaret’s other loves included extensive travel abroad, PLAYING BRIDGE, golfing, gardening, and fun times with many friends.   Survivors include her son, Neil Garr, Mandan, ND; her daughter, Debbie Russell, Mesa, AZ; special son-in-law, Steve Russell, Washington, and his many children and grandchildren; granddaughter, Tricia Wagley, California; grandson, Dewey Russell, Washington; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Phyllis Lerud and Joanne Needham (Merl), all of Denver, CO; a special nephew and Godson, Lowell Lerud, Twin Valley, many beloved nieces, and nephews and numerous friends.   She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne in 2007; her daughter-in-law, Sherri Garr on October 7, 2016; her brothers, Anton (Pat), Roy (Ruth), Erling; and her sisters, Ruth Lerud, and Lucille (Ed) Wayda.