Forrest Elder

Forrest W. Elder, 94, of Lake Park, MN, died January 2, 2024, at St. Mary's Hospital, Detroit Lakes, MN.

Forrest Wendell Elder was born in Fullerton, NE on November 8, 1929, to Lucille and Lewis Elder. (He went by “Wendell” until he joined the Navy.) He had 2 older brothers, Duane and Keith. When he was 5, his and another family drove to Los Angeles, CA in a truck with a shack on top, ala “The Grapes of Wrath.”

In 1943, the family moved to a farm north of Walnut Grove, MN, 5 miles from where he would meet his future wife. He said it was a culture shock to go from a school of 3,000 students to a one-room schoolhouse where he had to go outside for a bathroom break.

He graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1949 and joined the Navy. He was very proud of his service as a radio and sonar operator on a submarine, stationed out of San Diego.

Forrest married Lois Turner on September 11th, 1953, in Tracy, MN. They began their married life in San Diego, CA and had their first child, Kristin. After returning to Minnesota, he was a fireman on the railroad for a few years and had two more children, Klark and Leslie. In 1961, he went to work for Super Valu, selling health and beauty aids to grocery stores in Wisconsin. Another son, Scott, completed the family. They lived in Shakopee, MN for 4 years, during which time Forrest was the assistant manager of Super Valu’s Hopkins warehouse. In 1968, he was transferred to open a ND route; this brought the family to Lake Park, MN, where he was a member of the American Legion.

Forrest left Super Valu rather than relocate the family again. He then drove truck (including for the local lefse plant) and was the first bartender at the Lake Park municipal bar. In 1974, Forrest literally built the house which is still the family home, doing most of the work himself. He had his own business mowing township and county road ditches. He then had a tree farm. After retiring, his hobby was driving his 1950 TD MG in parades and car shows. He also enjoyed beating everyone at Scrabble.

Forrest’s great sorrow was losing daughter Leslie (Danny) Olson of rural Lake Park in 2017. (“I miss her every day.”) He is survived by wife, Lois (with whom he just celebrated a 70-year anniversary), children Kristin (Rich) Sellentine of Rochester, Klark (Cristi) Elder of Champlin, and Scott (Edna) Elder of Orange Park, FL. He had 9 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandson and many nieces and nephews.

In memory of Forrest, his family is having trees planted for "re-Forrest-ation" at Chippewa national forest in his honor.  After all, his name was Forrest, his nickname was Trees, and he had a tree farm. You are welcome to contribute to this with memorials to the family which will be designated for this purpose.