1942-Madeline Forsberg-2017
Maddy Forsberg was born on March 20, 1942 in Le Mars, Iowa to John and Margaret Theobald Kuhlman. She grew up in Le Mars until 1946 when the family moved to Slayton, Minnesota. Maddy attended Slayton High School and later the San Antonio School of Business in San Antonio, Texas. On February 18, 1959 she and Nels Forsberg were married in San Antonio. Following their marriage they farmed near Brooten, Minnesota until 1967 when they moved to a farm near Currie, Minnesota. In 1981 they moved to Slayton. Maddy worked for Southwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC) and was the director of Southwest Area Agency on Aging. Maddy was very active serving on Coordinating Board Five, State Transportation Coordination Advisory Committee, Task Force for the Rural Hospital, Advisory Committee for Federal Rural Hospital Transition, and on the Foundation of Paul and Alma Schwan Aging Trust Fund. In 1999 Governor Jesse Ventura appointed Maddy to the Rural Health Advisory Council. Maddy was instrumental in making Murray County Hospice a reality and later serving on the Hospice Board. Maddy was the recipient of many service awards from the Department of Human Services. She also received the Dutch Kastenbaum Outstanding Gerontologist Award by the Minnesota Gerontologist Society. In October 2016 Maddy moved to Our House Hospice in Slayton where she passed away on Friday, August 11, 2017 at the age of 75. She was a member of St. Ann’s Church in Slayton. Maddy will be remembered for her strong, independent spirit, her zest for life and love of her family. She enjoyed playing cards, watching sports, which was a love hate relationship with MN Gopher Basketball, the MN Twins, and MN Vikings. Everyone that knew Maddy knows her love of knitting and crafts. She found great joy in making Christmas stockings and baby sweaters and giving them to others. Maddy was known as the fun grandma, and loved spending time with her grandkids, making them each feel as if they were her favorite. Maddy’s life motto was if you work hard, you can play harder, and that she did.
Survivors include her three children and their spouses: Mike and Ann Forsberg, Benson, MN, Pam and Mike Haakenson, Luverne, MN, and Neil and Wendy Forsberg, Slayton, MN; six grandchildren: Andy Haakenson and Meghan Hunter, Lindsay and Tyler Kashdan, Alex Forsberg, Adam Forsberg, Stephanie Forsberg and her Fiancée, Nate Coopman, and Aranda Forsberg; five siblings and their spouses: Doug and Lisa Kuhlman, Sioux Falls, SD, Terry and Deb Kuhlman, Aventura, FL, Diane and Eldon “Butch” Johnson, Bloomington, MN, Mary and Leonard Vitullo, Midvale, UT and Bette Kuhlman, Coden, AL. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one infant son; granddaughter Deidra Forsberg; and one sister Vicki Kuhlman.
Memorial services were held at St. Ann’s Church in Slayton, MN on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. with Fr. Thien Nguyen officiating. The organist was Judy Andrews. The song leader was Sheila Crowley. The honorary pallbearers were her grandchildren. Interment is at Slayton Cemetery in Slayton, MN. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the services at the church on Wednesday. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com.
