Wanda Joan West

Wanda Joan West, age 80, of Bloomington MN went home to Jesus on December 22nd. She was born on April 13, 1936 to Seph and Anna Peterson on the family farm just south of Sand Creek Wisconsin. She was baptized, and later confirmed, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Sand Creek. Wanda was the 11th and final child born to Seph & Anna. Prior to Wanda starting grade school, the Peterson family moved to a farm on Hwy 64 south of Ridgeland in the Blairmoore school district; Wanda attended school at the Blairmoore country school for grades 1-4. When Wanda’s brother Russell returned from serving in the Army, he took over running the family farm and the Peterson family moved several miles east to a location just south of Hwy 64. They were now located in the Plainview school district so Wanda attended the Plainview country school for grades 5-8. After finishing studies at Plainview, they moved to Popple Creek where she lived as she completed the final four years of education at Colfax high School, graduating in 1954. After graduation, Wanda moved to Minneapolis to work at Munsingwear as a bookkeeper. A fellow Munsingwear worker from Rice Lake convinced Wanda to take the civil service exam with her; the other lady did not pass the test but Wanda did and she was soon offered a job in the statistics/data collection department at the U.S. Bureau of Mines in Minneapolis. Before long she was courted by a fellow Bureau employee, Don West. They were married on Wanda’s birthday in 1960, the beginning of a blessed 56 year marriage. Initially they lived at Sibley Manor in St. Paul. In October 1964, they moved to their present home at 10401 Morgan Ave South in Bloomington. The Wests were active in Oak Hill Church in Bloomington from 1965 to present days. Wanda worked at the Bureau until retirement in 1991. During her 35 years of service she received several accolades including Civil Servant of the Year in 1979. Retirement didn’t stop her from working. She took on the job of church secretary for several years, also worked as a temp for Kelly Services, and started production of Christmas stockings for friends & family. She made over 760 stockings. Wanda also knit many sweaters, mittens & stocking caps for family members and charities; performed needlework projects; created “Care” bears and sewed clothing outfits for American Girl Dolls. The Wests were frequent travelers; Wanda visited Norway 6 times; the first in 1963 with her Mother who had not returned to Norway since she immigrated to the USA in 1912. Wanda’s most recent trip to Norway occurred in 2012 with Fay & Dean. Don and Wanda started traveling to Mountain View Arkansas in the late 1970’s and returned nearly annually; their most recent trip in April of 2016. When they returned Wanda proclaimed that she had gotten more hugs and I love you’s than she had ever received. They made many friends on those trips to Arkansas and East Tennessee including some well known names in the music industry; Jimmy Driftwood, Ferlin Husky, Don Helms of the Drifting Cowboys, Leroy Troy and Dailey & Vincent. Playing games was always a favorite pastime of Wanda’s. A few games she introduced to nieces and nephews were badminton; ping pong; Flinch (we called it Muggins); Touring; Clue; Aggravation; Sorry; The game of Life; Outburst; Connect Four; Score Four; Caroms; Shanghai Rummy; Scattergories; the 10000 dice game and most recently Rummikub. Wanda is survived by her husband Don; sisters-in-law Joan Peterson of Ridgeland, WI; Marilyn (Maggie) Peterson of Amery, WI and Frances Hinzman of Menomonie, WI ; brother-in-law Nate West of Fergus falls, MN and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers - Orville, Alwood, Russell, Walter, Edsel and Jonas; sisters - Doris Gilles, Adeline Christopherson, and infants Clara and Beatrice. Visitation for Wanda will be held at the Washburn-McReavy Funeral home located at 2300 West Old Shakopee Road on Thursday December 29th from 4-8pm. Funeral services will be at Oak Hill Church on Friday December 30th. Visitation at 1030AM with the service at 11AM. Lunch will be served following the service. The church is located at 8901 France Ave South in Bloomington. If you have an item either knit or crafted by Wanda, please bring it to share with others. The item may be worn by you or brought to be displayed. Possible items are Care bears, Christmas stockings, sweaters, stocking caps, mittens, American Girl clothing etc. Interment will be in the Zion Cemetery in Sand Creek WI.

Tributes

Wanda Joan West

April 13, 1936 - December 22, 2016

Tributes

Wanda Joan West

April 13, 1936 - December 22, 2016

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