Grace Stegen Ohnstad

Grace Stegen Ohnstad, 85, Denver, Colorado died on Friday, June 3, 2011. Private graveside services will be Friday, June 10 at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado. Horan & McConaty is in charge of final arrangements. Grace was born February 12, 1926 to Thomas and Clara (Thompson) Stegen in Ortley, SD. She graduated from Waubay High School in 1944 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Augustana College in 1948. She taught 3rd and 4th grades for 8 years at Brookings Central Elementary and also in Austin, MN. On August 12, 1956 she married James (Jim) Ohnstad at First Lutheran Church in Brookings, SD, and they were blessed with nearly 55 years of marriage. They worked and raised their family of five children in eastern South Dakota. In 1978, they moved to Gillette, WY, where they were members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and where she worked at the Campbell County Memorial Hospital. She loved spending time with her large family, and she also enjoyed collecting cookbooks, trying new recipes, and visiting over a hot cup of coffee. In 2005 they moved to Denver to be closer to family. Grateful to have shared her life are her husband, Jim, five children, Julie (Bernie) Hendricks, Brookings, SD; Kari (Paul) Blanchard, Denver, CO; Thomas (Janice Wood) Ohnstad, Salem OR; Timothy (Cathy LaPonza) Ohnstad, Los Angeles, CA; Marilee (J.C.) Manalo, Cheyenne, WY; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law Clair Ohnstad and Robert (Nancy) Ohnstad; sisters-in-law Lois Stegen, Barbara (Steve) Olsen, Jan Ohnstad, Sandy Ohnstad, Phyllis Ohnstad, Elaine Ohnstad-Eide; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Grace was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Hazel Stegen Dempster, her brother Kermit Stegen, son-in-law Clark Davidson, sister-in-law Jeanne Ohnstad, brothers-in-law Adrian Dempster, John ""Jack"" Ohnstad, Lawrence Ohnstad, and Donald Ohnstad, niece Suzanne Olsen Johnson, and many cousins. Memorial donations in Grace's name can be made to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The link to their website for ""giving"" information is http://augie.edu/giving Please share your memories of Grace with her family by clicking on the ""Sign Guestbook"" link below or cards and memories may be sent to Jim Ohnstad at 500 Holly St., Denver, CO 80220.