Eldon H. Raknerud

Eldon Raknerud, 87, passed from this world into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, November 30, 2016.  He has been a resident of ValleyCare and Rehab in Barnesville since suffering a severe stroke on September 22, 2015.  Funeral Services will be 11:00 AM, Monday, December 5, 2016 at Hope Lutheran Brethren Church with Pastor Kevin Skarett officiating.  Burial will follow in Little Bethany Cemetery, rural Barnesville.  Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM, at Dobmeier Funeral Home in Barnesville with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM on Sunday, December 4, 2016.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the funeral service on Monday.  Eldon Hartvig Raknerud was born on December 22, 1928 in the living room of his parent’s farm home to Melvin and Ella (Anderson) Raknerud in Tansem Township, rural Barnesville.  He attended District 29 Country School for 8 years then went to high school in Barnesville, staying with his grandmother Bertha Anderson.  He graduated in 1946 then attended a couple semesters at the Luther Bible Institute in Minneapolis.  Eldon farmed with his father until picking employment as a carpenter with Bernard Swenson.  He then met his future life partner Margie Aos, they were married on October 8, 1954, and made their home on the family farm where they lived for 60 years.  Four sons were born to this union.  Eldon was employed by the Coast to Coast store for 6 years.  He then was employed by Barnesville Schools District 146 as a maintenance man for over 27 years.  They were members of Little Bethany Church, where Eldon served as Sunday School Superintendent for 14 years.  He was a strong Christian and desired to bring kids and people to faith in his Lord and Savior.  He has been a longtime member of Hope Lutheran Brethren Church.  He was a loving husband, a great dad, and a loving grandpa to 9 very special grandkids.  He loved to garden and watch things grow.  He took the boys fishing and loved to work with wood, and remodeled his homeplace himself.   He is survived by his wife Marge Raknerud, Barnesville, MN; 3 sons: Doug (Rose) Raknerud, Barnesville; Darrel (Debbie) Raknerud, Rochester, MN; Gary (Jen) Raknerud, Northwood, ND; grandchildren: Natalie (Alex Schmidt), Nicole, Luke, Lauren (Brian) Parrett, Brian, Zach, Carter and Danny; sister Muriel (Lin) Jacobson, Omaha, NB; sister-in-law Patty Swenson, Barnesville, MN; and many other family and friends.  Eldon was preceded in death by his son Keith; granddaughter Emily Raknerud; his parents; brothers-in-law Vern Swenson and Roland Aos.  Eldon Raknerud Bulletin