Kaia Emily Halvorson, 98, formerly of St. Anthony Park, died Nov. 17.
She was born in Bricelyn, Minn. She attended grade school there and graduated from high school in Blue Earth, Minn. She attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., graduating with a degree in teaching. Her first teaching job was at Howard High School in Howard, S.D., and then at Sioux Falls High School in Sioux Falls, 1936–40.
She met her husband, Arndt Halvorson, at Augustana College, and they married in 1940, after Arndt graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Arndt and Emily served Lutheran parishes in Casper, Wyo.; West Hempstead, N.Y.; Forest City, Iowa; Minneapolis; and Prescott, Ariz. In 1958, they moved to St. Paul, where Emily worked at Lutheran Nurses Guild, 1962-65, and as a librarian at Mounds Midway School of Nursing and Midway Hospital, 1966-79.
Emily was preceded in death by her husband; a son, Richard; a daughter, Karen Hedland; three brothers, Benjamin, Victor and Arnold Elvestrom; and two sisters, Adelia Mundale and Sally Olson. She is survived by three daughters, Gretchen Mannix, Sara Johnson (Randy) and Martha Knutson (Richard); a son, Leonard Halvorson (Karen); a daughter-in-law, MaryAnn Solmonson (Al); a son-in-law, John Hedland; 17 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held Nov. 20 at St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church, with interment Sunset Cemetery.
