Eline Freida Forsberg, of Hardwick, was born Oct. 31, 1927, the ninth of 11 children, to Otto and Anna (Kaatz) Naef near Wausau, Wisconsin. She passed away Feb. 5, 2025, at the age of 97 in Rochester, Minnesota.
She was independent in her rural Hardwick, Minnesota, home until February 2021. After a few falls, she was moved to the Poplar Creek assisted living facility in Luverne, Minnesota. She moved to Riverbend Assisted Living in Rochester, Minnesota, to be near her daughters in October 2021.
Eline grew up on a farm near Wausau, Wisconsin. She developed a love for the Lord in her youth, keeping it to the end of her life. In her later
teens she worked as a housekeeper in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Eline met her
future husband, Harold, at a church convention near Eagle Bend, Minnesota.
She then moved to Luverne, Minnesota, working as a caregiver for the Rowland family; she also worked in an ice cream shop.
Eline and Harold were married Jan. 31, 1950, in Wausau, Wisconsin. They farmed near Hardwick, Minnesota, from 1950 until 1996. They built a new home one-fourth mile from the farm place in 1996 where they lived until Eline left for Poplar Creek.
She enjoyed flowers, gardening and was active with Master Gardeners, judging floral designs at various county/state fairs.
Eline is survived by five children, Rodney (Aleta) Forsberg of
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Duane Forsberg of White Salmon, Washington, Keith (Sherry) of Luverne, Minnesota, Jeanette (Dean) Ricter of Rochester, Minnesota, and Joyce Jacobson of Wanamingo, Minnesota. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Dianne Forsberg of Claremore, Oklahoma, and two sisters-in-law, Ruth Naef of Wausau, Wisconsin, and Bernice Forsberg of Estherville, Iowa, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Eline was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold (2016),
son Kenneth, son-in-law Kevin Jacobson, daughter-in-law Linda Forsberg, great-grandson Jacob Morris, and her ten siblings: Leona Nueske, Harold Naef, Evelyn Nueske, Raymond Naef, Edna Naef (18 mos),
Dorothy Jeske, Sylvia Kelbert, Adele Naef, Leon Naef and Donald Naef.
