Phyllis A. Londgren

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Clik here to view.Phyllis (Goettelman) Londgren, of Braham, passed away on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at the Prairie Cottage Estates in Isanti. She was 87 years old.
Phyllis Alma Goettelman was born in the Isle Hospital on December 12, 1927. She lived with her parents, Herbert and Alma (Arstad) Goettelman, in a log cabin in the woods of Pliny Township (Solana) in Aitkin County. In 1936 they were forced to flee from the forest fires that were rampant that summer. They moved to McGrath for three months until they found a home in Cambridge in October 1936. She graduated from Cambridge High School in June of 1944 and started at Gustavus Adolphus College in July. She graduated from GAC in 1947. From there she worked in Minneapolis at the Faegre & Benson Law Firm long enough to learn that life in the big city was not something she could endure. She returned to Gustavus to take courses and earn credits to enable her to teach high school business classes.
Her first teaching job was in Clarkfield, MN. While in Clarkfield, she met and married Jim Londgren in 1951. Jim and Phyllis lived on a farm near Clarkfield where they had two children, Michael and Jan. In 1956, they bought a farm northwest of Braham in the Coin area. Jim farmed and Phyllis returned to teaching in September 1958. Farm life near a small town was where she belonged; near nature and domestic animals, living with old-fashioned values and the good life. Both children went to the Coin School until they were old enough to go to Braham High School, with Mike graduating in 1971 and Jan in 1972.
Phyllis retired from teaching in 1986, but never settled down to a quiet life. She was always busy with activities at her church, Braham Evangelical Lutheran, doing temporary work in various offices in Braham, Mora and Cambridge, writing and taking photos for the Cambridge Star; originating Pie Day, working at Tusen Tack, or just being the “Town Busybody” as she called herself. Her active lifestyle kept her happy and feeling young. A hip replacement in 2002 at the St. Cloud Hospital was a setback. The ensuing years were filled with discomfort from complications with this surgery. Life slowed down, but Phyllis often said that she considered herself one of the luckiest people in the world. “I married the best guy there ever was, had two great kids, five wonderful grandchildren and was permitted to live long enough to get to know twelve amazing great-grandchildren. Jim and I were lucky to live in a friendly, humble community loaded with friendly, humble people. And to top it off, God provided us with all we ever needed-and much more!”
Phyllis was preceded in death by her father and mother.
She is survived by her loving husband Jim; son Mike; daughter Jan; grandchildren, Kim, Kenzie (Kristofer), Kevin (Paulina), Kelly (Angela), Dan (Allison); great-grandchildren, Jay, Josh, Marysa, Masyn, Max, Alex, Mya, Carsyn, David, Brooke, Laike and Krew; loving relatives and many friends and the Prairie Senior Cottage family.
A memorial service was held on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at the Braham Evangelical Lutheran Church with Rev. Rich Chronis officiating. Condolences may be posted at www.aifuneralhome.com.