Bert Welgraven

Bert Welgraven was born on February 8, 1937 to Wynand and Hendrikje (Veldhuisen) Welgraven near Chandler, Minnesota. He was raised on farms in Murray County, Minnesota. He graduated from Lake Wilson High School in 1954. From 1954 to 1958, Bert worked for various farmers. On April 16, 1958 he was united in marriage to Alvina Winsel at St. James Lutheran Church in Holland, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived in Pipestone, Minnesota and Bert worked at Hyde Oil Company and Sacks Grocery, both in Pipestone. In December 1967 they moved to a dairy farm in Aetna Township, near Ruthton, Minnesota where Bert enjoyed every aspect of farming and the dairy cows. In 1996, they moved to Tyler, Minnesota, but Bert continued to help Keith with the farming until his health began to fail in the fall of 2010.

Bert was baptized and confirmed at St. James Lutheran Church in Holland on April 2, 1958. After moving to Tyler, he became a member of First English Lutheran Church. Bert served six years as a church elder in Holland, and was a board member of the American Dairy Association and the Minnesota Farmers Union. He enjoyed farm auctions, mainly to talk to neighbors and friends, and sometimes came home with a 'bargain.' Bert loved riding his 3-wheel battery-operated medical scooter around Tyler, always finding someone to chat with. He loved people, especially his family, and was proud of them. Bert entered Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler on February 12, 2013, and went on Hospice Care on November 1, 2013, where he remained until he went to meet his Lord on Friday, February 7, 2014, one day before his 77th birthday.

Bert is lovingly remembered by his 'sweetheart,' Alvina Welgraven of Tyler, his wife of almost 56 years; three children: Bruce (Christina) Welgraven of Fargo, North Dakota, Barbara Omelenik of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Keith (Jeanna) Welgraven of Ruthton, Minnesota; five grandchildren: Blaine (Kaylee) Welgraven of Taylors, South Carolina, Alexander (Tara) Welgraven of Surprise, Arizona, Shane Omelenik and Kristyn Omelenik, both of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Katelyn Welgraven of Ruthton, Minnesota; two great-grandchildren, Caeden and Aeva Fe' Welgraven of Taylors, South Carolina; two sisters: Henrietta DeZeeuw of Pipestone, Minnesota and Albertha (Joe) Haynes of Minneapolis, Minnesota; three sisters-in-law: Arlene Welgraven of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Grace Welgraven of Chandler, Minnesota, and Kathryn Winsel of St Paul, Minnesota; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Henry and twin brother Harold; grandson, Jonathan Welgraven; and his parents-in-law, August and Emma Winsel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to First English Lutheran Church, Ridgeview Hospice, or Sunrise Manor Nursing Home, all in Tyler.