Alice Prestegard Obituary

Alice Marie Prestegard, age 91, of Bricelyn, MN, died Sunday, March 1, 2020 at United Hospital District in Blue Earth, MN from complications of the flu. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. at United Lutheran Church in Frost. Visitation will be held Friday, March 6, 2020 from 4:00-7:00 PM at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Bricelyn, MN. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Pastor Brent Walker will officiate, and interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in Blue Earth.
Alice Marie was born September 21, 1928 in rural Minnesota Lake, Faribault Co., MN, the much loved daughter of Victor and Doris (Menton) Erickson. When she was 3 they moved to Washington State, where she began her singing career with "Thpwing Time in the Rockies." They moved back to Faribault Co., where her father worked as a hired man until he rented a farm in rural Bricelyn, MN. Alice attended Waldorf College in Forest City, IA, where she put her musical talents to good use singing in the choir. After graduating from Waldorf, Alice continued her education at Fairview School of Nursing where she earned the privilege to be a Registered Nurse. Alice was very proud to tell anyone that she was an "old nurse"! One day while milking cows on her dad's farm, a young man from across the field stopped by to invite her to go to choir practice with him. That was the beginning of her 4 year courtship with Omar Prestegard. Alice really enjoyed her "training" years at Fairview, making lifelong friends and just having fun with them and Omar. After graduation, she came to work at the "new" Blue Earth Hospital (1950) where she helped deliver the first baby born there, a boy. Alice and Omar were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in rural Frost on November 18, 1950. In due time they began their family with a son Allen, followed by 5 girls. 6 kids in 7 years, think of the laundry! Besides being an active help mate to her farmer husband, she continued her singing at local weddings, funerals, church services, variety shows, school concerts, and anything needing music!! She was also active with PTA, 4-H, Band Mothers, Farm Bureau, room mothers and the Federation Republican Women. Alice was an active and faithful member of Liberty Church in Rake, IA, and United Lutheran Church in Frost, MN. Even before their children had all earned advanced degrees, they started getting married, and having babies, lots of them! Family kept Omar and Alice busy, but they enjoyed doing "their own thing" too; concerts and plays locally and in the Cities, travels to Israel, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, anywhere in the U.S. and cruises to the Bahamas and Alaska. Alice loved a good adventure and she lived a full life. Despite living with constant pain, she still appreciated petting a dog or a cat, feeling the sun, listening to the birds, smelling the fresh air, looking at pretty trees, watching her great-grandchildren play, reading, playing games, eating a well cooked meal with gravy, visits from family and friends – life!
She is survived by her son Allen (Judy) Prestegard of Blue Earth, daughters: Jean (Loren) Eckhardt of Blue Earth, Mary Prestegard of Woodbury, MN, Bonnie (Tim) Fisher of West Union, IA, Pauline (Jeff) Brittain of Boone, IA, Carol (Lewis) Olson of Des Moines, IA; 17 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, along with a host of cousins, family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; beloved husband Omar; brother Roger; son-in-law Tim Skurdal.