Kenneth L. Harstad

Memorial Services for Kenneth L. “Ken” Harstad, 79, Norfolk, will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 13, 2018 at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Chip Winter will officiate. Visitation with family will began an hour prior to service on Saturday at the church.  A memorial service for Ken will also take place at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, January 14, 2018 at Zoar Lutheran Church in Revillo, SD with burial at the church cemetery.  Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

He went to be with his heavenly Father on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at the VA Medical Center in Omaha from complications associated with a fractured hip.

Ken was born on August 2, 1938 in Madison, MN to his parents Gunder and Emma (Eidem) Harstad.  He was baptized and confirmed at Zoar Lutheran Church in Revillo, SD.  He grew up on a farm outside Marietta, MN and graduated from Marietta High School.  He attended Concordia College in Moorhead for two years after which time he enlisted in the Air Force for four years.

He married Patricia Dahle on September 8, 1962 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Marietta, MN.  They moved to Winona, MN where he started his banking career.  He eventually owned and was president of the Rollingstone State Bank.  He was very active in Winona being an Ambassador and member of the Chamber of Commerce.  He was an avid sports fan, never missing a Vikings football game.  He helped organize the Cager Club which helped finance the Winona State Warriors basketball team whose games he never missed.

Throughout his banking career, you could never get the farm boy out of him and soon he had a hobby farm in Winona.  They then moved to a farm in Lewiston, MN where they joined the Silo Lutheran Church of which he was president of the congregation and treasurer for many years.

They had two children, Daniel Kenneth and Kay Lynn.  He greatly enjoyed his children and never missed any of their sporting activities as they grew up.

He was a very caring person who was always doing his best to help anyone he could.  Besides his children, his next love of kids were his nieces and nephews which he spent much of his time with as they were growing up.  Many came to live with him on the farm for short periods of time.  He was a very loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle.

Ken is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia, son Daniel (Susan Meyer) Harstad, daughter Kay (Tim) Kukowski, six grandchildren, Angela (Matt) Wingert, Danielle (Jon) Jahnke, Nicholle Harstad, and Courtney, Brendan and Tyler Kukowski, one great granddaughter Grace Wingert, one sister Arlene Woolrey, two sisters-in-law Lorna Harstad and Joyce Harstad, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Arne and Gordon, one sister Joan Goens, two brothers-in-law Harlon Goens and Charles Woolrey, and one niece Arlene Harstad.

Memorials requested to the family for future charity donations of their choice.

 Service Information