Burying my Father-in-Law

The main purpose of our trip to MN was to be present for the interment of Doug's dad's ashes in the cemetery in Dawson, MN where Paul grew up. This is a special place because 5 generations of Fondells are buried here. Doug's great great grandparents, his great grandparents, his grandparents, his father and his sister have all been laid to rest here.

Doug's great-great-great Grandfather, the original immigrant.
The stone is written in Swedish

Doug's great-great-grandmother

Doug's great-grandfather. Immigrated as a young boy.
Edward is also Doug's middle name

Doug's great-grandmother

Doug's grandparents

Doug's dear oldest sister

What the new stone will look like once completed

It's kind of rare in this day and age to have such hallowed ground where one family's presence is so significant.
I haven't spent much time in Dawson, but when I have been there, I feel the depth of connection that Doug's family shares with this special place. Fortunately, one of Doug's cousins bought his grandparents' house so family still finds a dwelling place on the farm even though the farmland itself has been sold to an active farmer. The granary has been recently painted. The house is much like it was as Doug was growing up. The church moved to a different place in town a few years ago, but I just loved the juxtaposition of the corn field next to the church bell. Classic country church. Dawson Covenant is a thriving church. A great example of how a small town church can really make an imprint on a community.
The burial was beautiful and unpretentious, just like Paul. In the moments of shared reflection the main themes about Paul focused on his gentle spirit, lack of guile, compassionate and generous heart, and desire to see others happy and contented. Paul was a good, good man. I was happy to be embraced by him as his daughter-in-law. I spoke of the vice like bear hugs that I always knew Paul would have for us. While his presence is missed, his failing health had created much hardship. We could all rejoice in a life well lived now without earthly pain.

Doug's remaining immediate family

Doug's mom is doing really well. She has adjusted well to being on her own and taken on new tasks with energy and interest. Of course, after 65 years of marital companionship, it's not always so easy to face each day alone, but her zest for life is inspiring. Her home is cleaner and more well organized than most and the garage is so clean now, you could have meals out there! She delights in this!
The service itself, led by Doug and his brother Greg, was a sweet reflection of a family whose life has been rooted in faith. Two hymns, some prayers and the burial rite rounded out the short service. We all had a chance to throw some dirt on the beautiful urn that my brother-in-law had created.

Surrounded by the stones of his beloved family, Paul's remains are now resting where he spent his childhood in a place he loved so much.
I'm really thankful that we were able to share in this special time. It reminds me of the history that all of our lives include and to see Doug's family history represented in such obvious ways through these gravestones is very moving.
Peace to the memory of Paul Fondell.

Siblings and spouses and mom

He was indeed a good, good man.

The Fondell Family Farm

On Monday the entire family drove out to Dawson, Minnesota, a small farming community west of Minneapolis.  There is something very soothing about driving across rural America.   

I love seeing the big farms, the tall corn, the open landscape. Some of the my photographs are hazy because the steam from the humidity was affecting my camera.  It was a hot and humid Minnesota summer day.

Dawson is where the Swedish immigrants from Doug's family set up a family farm in the late 1800's and where Doug's grandfather farmed the land and where Doug's father was raised.  It is also where Debbie was born and desired to be buried.  The burial itself was a moving occasion, attended mainly by family.  It was noted that Debbie is the 5th generation of Fondell's buried in the cemetery.  No one from the 4th generation is buried there yet but Doug's parents do plan to have their grave sites there as well. 

The gravestones of Doug's father's parents

I've never seen a graveyard where one family has such a prominent presence.  It was actually very special and quite moving.  The first graves were engraved with Swedish, reminding us of our immigrant history. 

You can hardly see it but it does say Född and Död: Born and Died

The verse on this grave was written in Swedish: "I know that my Savior lives"

The corner stone from the original church is also written in Swedish: Missionskyrkan...which is the same kind of church that Doug and I now serve in Stockholm.  The circle of life seemed quite prominent in this small town Minnesota cemetery.  I was happy to listen to Doug reminisce about his childhood, speaking of the fun they had on the farm when they went to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  One of his cousins still lives in the homestead so it was great fun to be there after the service to take in a bit of Doug's childhood.  It reminded me a lot of the small town my mom grew up and the house brought back a lot of memories of the childhood home my mom grew up in, where my grandmother lived well into her 80's.  Our nephew delighted in driving the tractor lawn mower. I had to laugh when I saw the chickens running around the front yard of the Pastor's house.  Our life in Stockholm is just a bit different from this rural farm town!
Dawson, Minnesota is definitely a place of prominence for the Fondells.  To see the generations of people who have lived and died there, to visit the home of Doug's grandparents, to interact with the family and hear stories of their life there was a special part of the experience for me.  Debbie wanted to be buried in the place where she was born, near her ancestors.  It all seems uniquely appropriate for a history teacher.
Our immigrant history came back into full focus once again and left me with warm feelings about our own return to Sweden in this generation.  I may have to read William Moberg's Emmigrants once again.  His story is our story in so many ways.  It was a day filled with the sorrow of burying a sister, the joy of embracing a family, remembering a special past and the awesomeness of seeing how generations of folks have touched that land.