Nona Germaine Walter, 92, Brandon, South, Dakota, died on Dec. 23, 2019, at the Bethany Home in Brandon.
A funeral service was Friday, Dec. 27, at the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jasper. Interment was at the Jasper City Cemetery.
Nona Hegstad was born on Sept. 3, 1927, to Ole and Mary (Anderson) Hegstad in Slayton. When her mother died in 1929, she was raised by her father and several housekeepers. In 1933 her father married Leila Endersbe who then helped raise Nona and her siblings. Nona attended school in Slayton until the sixth grade when she moved with her family to Ellsworth and continued her education there.
After Nona’s graduation from Ellsworth High School in 1945, she attended beauty school in Mankato. After completing her coursework there, she became employed by a beauty shop in Rochester. A year later she moved to Worthington. While working there, she obtained her shop manager’s license. She opened her own shop in Ellsworth and named it “Nona’s Beauty Shop.”
On April 19, 1949, she married John Walter at the Congregational Church in Ellsworth. Following their marriage, they lived on the Walter family farm near Ellsworth. In 1949 Nona sold the beauty shop and they moved to a farm near Steen. In 1963 they moved to a farm south of Jasper. Nona worked in the bakery and cafeteria at Jasper Foodland for 12 years. John preceded her in death in 1975. After his death, Nona continued to live on the farm.
Nona was a member of the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church and was active in the Ladies Aid and church circle. She enjoyed tatting, crossword puzzles and reading. She loved to travel, and her favorite trip was to Maui. She enjoyed spending time outdoors working in her large garden, taking care of her flowers, mainly roses and gladiolas. She actively enjoyed and supported her granddaughter during her school athletic years. While growing up, she learned to ice skate. She was named Queen of the Ice Follies in Ellsworth.
Nona is survived by two children, Suzanne Walter (Arnold) Gleason of Harrisburg, South Dakota, and Scott (Marian) Walter of Baltic, South Dakota; granddaughter Allison of Baltic; three step- granddaughters, Angie (Joe) Sieler, Jenny (Greg) Baker and Ruthie (Bill) Roth; two stepgrandsons, Robert (Vicky) and Craig (Holly) Gleason; five great-grandchildren; sister Doris Essman of Luverne; a sister-in- law, Laura Warner; and a brother-in-law, Alfred Wagner.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John; a son, Douglas; her parents; a brother, Minver Hegstad; a sister, Juanita Jones; and several nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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