Alma O. McGiffin, 95, Rice Lake, Wis., died Sunday, July 26, 2009, at Barron Care and Rehab.
She was born April 23, 1914, at Sand Creek to Tom and Malena (Kaaldal) Hjersjo. When she was four years old, her family moved to a farm on Poskin Lake. She attended grade school in Poskin and graduated from Barron High School in 1932.
After high school, she attended the Normal School in Rice Lake for a short time. Alma worked at the Coffee Cup cafe, Rice Lake, where she met her future husband, Mac McGiffin.
Alma married Francis "Mac" McGiffin on May 17, 1936, at Barron. They spent the majority of their married life dairy farming near Rice Lake. Francis passed away on Sept. 4, 1992. Alma continued to live on the farm until October 2007, when she moved to Barron Care and Rehab.
She enjoyed gardening and mowing her lawn. She traveled to Norway five times and could speak Norwegian fluently. She always corresponded with relatives in Norway in the Norwegian dialect.
She never had a modern sewing machine; she did her sewing and mending on a treddle sewing machine. She loved going to auctions and garage sales.
Alma's family, church and Norwegian heritage were very important to her. Alma helped start a Lutheran Church in Mauston in 1940. She was very active in the Ladies Aid (Ruth Circle) of Bethany Lutheran Church, Golden Valley Homemakers Club, Sons of Norway-Dovre Lodge and the Barron County Historical Society and Museum, where she demonstrated the old washboard for many years.
Surviving are sons, Thomas (Gloria) of Rice Lake and Richard (Monika) of Poskin; a daughter-in-law, Shirley McGiffin of Barron; grandchildren, Peter, Miriam, Todd, Sonja, Michael, Cindy, Ricky and Elisa; 12 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Mabel Nelsen of Barron and Gladys (Clifton) Hansen of Almena; a sister-in-law, Ethel Hjersjo of Barron; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, Alma was preceded in death by a son, Robert in 2001; her parents; and a brother, Alfred Hjersjo.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 30, from Bethany Lutheran Church, Rice Lake, with Rev. Russell Sorensen officiating and interment at the Poskin Cemetery.
Visitation will be held 4-8 p.m. Wednesday from Appleyard's Home for Funerals, Rice Lake, and an hour prior to services at the church Thursday.
Memorials to Bethany Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway or the Barron County Museum would be appreciated.
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