Carole Bertelson Liljedahl, daughter of Jim and Lilly Bertelson, was born in Missouri Valley, on Dec. 12, 1933. She was the seventh of nine children born to Jim and Lilly. She passed away at The Heritage at Fox Run in Council Bluffs, on Sept. 13, 2024, at the age of 90.
Carole grew up in Willow Park and attended school and graduated from Missouri Valley. After graduation she moved to work for a short time to Minneapolis, Minn. before coming back to Missouri Valley. On May 24, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Lenus Liljedahl, in the United Methodist church in Missouri Valley. In 1954, Carole and Lenus started farming 220 acres in the Missouri Valley bottoms, and on that farm, they raised four wonderful children. Carole loved farming with Lenus.
Over the many years Carole was very active in the United Methodist church of Missouri Valley where she taught many students and her own children in Sunday School, served on many committees as well as serving on many district and conference boards throughout Iowa. Carole and Lenus were also long-time members of the Methodist church choir which she directed for many years. Carole loved music and enjoyed hearing her friends and family sing.
Carole also sat on the board of several charitable organizations such as Crossroads of Western Iowa for adults with disabilities and the Cullivan Heights apartments with affordable housing for adults.
In 1986, Lenus and Carole became very active with Volunteers in Mission (VIM). This was hands on mission work through the Methodist church. They traveled to Panama and Puerto Rico as part of a team and for 12 years led VIM teams to Mexico and South Texas. After Lenus passed away in 2002, Carole continued mission trips for several years. Many friends and more memories were made on these mission trips serving the Lord.
Carole and Lenus were strong believers in the scripture, James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Carole loved to travel. Many family vacations revolved around camping and hiking as well as family time at Bertelson Corner in Bemidji, Minn. Beginning in 1980, Carole and Lenus would travel by car to wherever their mission trip would be and then spend the month of February traveling all over Mexico. Their favorite spot came to be in Rincon de Guayabitos in Nayerit, Mexico. They would come back every March all tanned and rested up to start another farming season. Carole truly loved the people and beauty of Mexico! After Lenus passed, Carole still traveled with various family members to Europe and Machu Picchu, South America as well as spending the month of February with her sisters and brothers-in-law in Port Aransas, Texas. It was here the Bertelson sisters were quite famous for cleaning trash every year on the jetties.
Carole is preceded in death by the love of her life, Lenus; her parents; brother and sister-in-law, Gene (Trish) Bertelson; brother-in-law and sister, Clyde (Thordis) Kleager; brother-in-law and sister, Bob (Cille) Anderson; sister, Beverly Bertelson; brother, Jerry Bertelson; and brother, Jack Bertelson.
She is survived by her children: Michael (Barb) Liljedahl, Avis (Gary) Thune, Brit (Sue) Liljedahl, and Curt (Cindy) Liljedahl; eight grandchildren and their spouses; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be 5-7p.m, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at United Methodist Church in Missouri Valley.
Funeral service will be 11a.m, Sept. 20, 2024, at United Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, monetary donations will be given to Global Ministries of Mexico.
Arrangements made by Hennessey Funeral Home. Online Condolences, www.hennesseyonline.com.
