Audrey Marie Strand

Audrey was born April 19, 1921 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Ted and Eda Enerson. They lived in Minneapolis for several years before moving to various farms until they settled on a farm in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Audrey and her younger sister, Helen were second generation Norwegians and their family enjoyed the company of many extended family members.

Farming was a hard profession but Audrey shared many wonderful stories of exciting and routine events of her life growing up. As very young children she and Helen every day would fill their wagon with wood and take it to the house for the stove. She told tales of gathering eggs, making horseradish, or catching and taming the wild kittens. Audrey always described herself as “liking a little adventure”. When given the choice of having a bicycle or a horse she wanted the horse. She had a buckskin horse named Colonel. He was a one woman horse and only Audrey could ride him. When Colonel was to lead the city’s parade the officials discovered only Audrey could handle him so she became the leader of the parade. She loved to dance and roller skate and her group of friends would do these as often as possible. When Audrey felt she should learn to drive a car and her father wasn’t at home she convinced Helen to go with her to practice driving. It almost ended in disaster when she came within inches of hitting the windmill. Audrey attended a one room school for most of her education. She enjoyed school and skipped several grades graduating at the age of sixteen. Audrey had several jobs during her life. She worked for an optometrist in Hutchinson before moving to Minneapolis to go to school and graduate as a beautician. During the war years she did secretarial work in the shipyards in Long Beach California, and at the Studebaker factory in Indiana. Later in life she trained at the State Mental Hospital in St. Peter, Minnesota graduating as a Psychiatric technician. She was a homemaker and mother. Audrey continued into her 80’s to be as active as possible with all her hobbies. She enjoyed music and enjoyed playing the organ. Audrey seemed to always have knitting needles in her hands and she kept her family in sweaters, slippers, hats, and mittens. As grandchildren arrived they also benefited with outfits as did the Barbie dolls. She progressed to learning how to use a knitting machine and she continued her skills and won a blue ribbon for a dress she made. She continued to play bridge for fun with her friends but Cribbage and Spite and Malice were the serious games of choice. She bowled for many years but golf was her favorite. When she got her Hole-in-One at the age of 89 she felt she could retire her clubs. Audrey said she was married to two wonderful men. She married Ceno Hendley on August 23, 1941 and they had two children. When she married Bob Strand on March 8, 1968 she inherited three step children. From her children she was blessed with 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. Audrey was preceded in death by her parents Ted and Eda Enerson, her sister Helen Marsh, and her husband Robert Strand. We celebrate Audrey’s wonderful and beautiful 91 years of life and all the joy and happiness she has brought to all the people’s lives she has touched.