Pearl Vestre, age 92, passed away on Friday, March 21st at the Broadwater Health Center in Townsend, MT after an extended illness. She was born in Esmond, North Dakota to Olaf and Anna Guttromson on May 21, 1921, a Norwegian family with many children. Pearl was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Esmond.
She graduated from Isabel Grade & High School in Esmond and entered the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing in Rugby, ND graduating as an RN in l942. Pearl worked in hospitals in Rugby, ND, Williston, ND, Tacoma, WN and Minneapolis, MN. She also attended ND State Teacher’s College in Valley City, ND. Pearl graduated from a two year Bible course followed by a one year mission course at the Lutheran Bible Institutes of Seattle, WN and Minneapolis, MN. In 1951 Pearl received a call from the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be a missionary nurse at the Lutheran Mission Hospital in Untunjambili, Natal and Hlabisa, Zululand in South Africa where she served from 1952-1958.
On October 15, 1960 Pearl married Nels Vestre of Wildrose, ND at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma, WN. They lived in Tacoma,WN and Fargo, ND before moving to Townsend, MT. They were active members of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Her husband passed away in Townsend in 1980. In addition to her husband, Pearl was preceded in death by her parents, sister, brothers, sisters-in-laws, nieces and nephews. Survivors include over 20 nieces and nephews, two sisters-in-law and her closest friends, Don and Glenna Walters and children of Townsend, MT.
Memorial services will be held in May at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church with burial of the cremains in Deep Creek Cemetery, Townsend, MT. The family requests memorials be given to either Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church or the Broadwater Health Center. Arrangements by Retz Funeral Home, Helena, MT. Please visit below to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Pearl.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday May 28, 2014
Shepard of the Valley Lutheran Church
301 North Cherry Street
Townsend, Montana
Reception
Following the Memorial Service
Wednesday May 28, 2014
Shepard fo the Valley Lutheran Church
301 North Cherry Street
Townsend, Montana
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Wednesday May 28, 2014
Shepard of the Valley Lutheran Church
301 North Cherry Street
Townsend, Montana
Reception
Following the Memorial Service
Wednesday May 28, 2014
Shepard fo the Valley Lutheran Church
301 North Cherry Street
Townsend, Montana
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Nadine Nelson says
Pearl was a wonderful aunt to all of her nieces and nephews. We all have special memories of her and the sweet things she did for all of us. I remember when my mother and I took the train from Rugby, ND to Fargo, ND. I was only about 7 yrs old and Pearl surprised me by coming to the train station and handing me a bag which I was not to open until I got on the train. Inside the bag were 5 little wrapped packages each with a name of a town the train would go through and when we reached that town I could open the appropriate package. It was such fun and I waited and waited for each town to appear so I could find the surprise of gum, pad/pencil etc. After my mother died, Pearl started writing me a letter each week until only a few weeks ago. She said that my mother had written me each week and now she decided she would take over for Mom. She found so many ways to show us love. May God take good care of her.
Evelyn (Guttromson) Gedde says
Auntie Pearl was my namesake and baptismal sponsor. My most vivid memory of her is from my teenage years when she visited us on our farm in Hawley, MN. (This was after her retservice as a nurse missionary in Africa.) She told fascinating stories about the natives and showed us many artifacts she brought back with her. Most fascinating was hearing her speak in Zulu. I can still hear the unusual guttural clicking of her tongue as she spoke the strange-sounding words. She brought to life an exotic far away land that I had only read about in history books. She blessed many lives.
Claudine Guttromson Hanson says
Auntie Pearl was a special aunt to all of her many nieces and nephews. We always knew how much she loved us and wanted the best for our lives. We listened to her exciting stories from childhood, from Africa and also places in the states where she had been. Stories of her nursing career in the US and Africa were vivid. She was that window on the world for us growing up on the prairie. And her baking was so yummy, a special treat.
One of my favorite silly memories is when one of her sisters in law tried to teach her to drive. Another aunt, Wilma Guttromson, lived a few miles from our farm and encouraged her to drive from their farm to ours in Wilma’s family car. We were playing ball and saw them coming over the little hill, winding all over the country road as they jerked along, finally coming to a stop in the middle of our driveway. Pearl got out of the driver’s seat, slammed the car door and declared “Never again!” I think Wilma was silently saying the same “Never again!”
Nearly two years ago we visited her again in Montana. As we left her she hugged me tight and said “I’ll see you again – in heaven.” Yes, Pearl. I’ll see you again in heaven.
Pastor Mel Swoyer says
Aunt Pearl loved to talk about missionary work as a nurse in Africa. Even a week ago she described her commissioning in 1952, see attached photo of Pearl and her mother. I also attached a photo of two children she delivered at hospital in Africa. We all love Pearl and look forward to our reunion with her and all the saints in heaven.
Her nephew Mel.
Pastor Mel Swoyer says
Aunt Pearl loved to talk about her missionary work in Africa. See attached photo of her commissioning as a nurse, her mother beside her in 1952. Also attached is photo of Pearl and two children she delivered at a hospital in Africa. We all loved Pearl and look forward to seeing her with Jesus when we join her in heaven one day by God’s grace.
Her nephew Mel.
Pastor Mel Swoyer says
God bless you aunt Pearl. (Photos attached)
Your nephew Mel
Ilene (Guttromson) Iverson-Olson says
Like others who have commented, I have been recalling memories of Pearl. We only went to the doctor in an extreme emergency. One such time was the hot, summer afternoon I was playing with my mother’s discarded old Singer sewing machine outside behind the garage. I had found a big needle, inserted it in the correct place and was peddling away pretending to sew something. Suddenly, I felt a very sharp pain and discovered I had gotten my thumb too close to the needle and peddled the big needle right through my entire left thumb so it stuck out on the back side. I had sense enough to quickly release the needle, and run crying to the house w/the needle sticking out of my thumb. Mom was all upset. Daddy was gone somewhere for the day, so Mom called Uncle Ralph who lived a few miles away. He came right over. Luckily, Pearl was visiting at their house. They tried to get the needle out, but to no avail. So Ralph and Pearl drove me to the ER at the Rugby hospital where a most handsome, young doctor w/Pearl helping by distracting me, took a pliers and pulled the needle out of my thumb. Ralph had promised me “if I was good,” he would buy me pie afterwards. That was about the best lemon pie I’d ever had!
Another memory I have is when Pearl was making bun dough one time I was at she and Nels’ Fargo apartment. She told me that if you left the dough quite sticky (and she demonstrated), the buns would turn out much softer. They did! Her buns were just like silk.
When Pearl would come to our farm, us kids would beg her to play a piano piece that she really loved and so did we. The book it was in was very old – probably her own old book. The pages were torn so some notes were missing, but she’d finally agree to play what she could. It was just wonderful. Years ago, I purchsed my own copy of that book and whenever I play it, in my minds eye, I can still see us kids standing around her and Pearl at the piano wearing a red knit dress, in her high heels, playing “Rustic Dance.” Blessings on you Auntie Pearl!
Marilyn Guttromson Johnson says
In her own way, Pearl carried that Guttromson outlook that nothing too positive came from too much change too fast. Her opinionated view tickled me more than once.
At our last meeting, she refused to believe the only grocery store in Townsend sold lefse. She’d never seen it there but when I produced it, she believed but reminded me that
Minnesotans don’t know how to make lefse which by the way Norwegians pronounce
lef say not lef sa. Only Swedes and what do they know say lefse. Years ago Pearl wanted to buy new Naturalizers at a Bismarck mall. Good deal for they were on sale so she decided
to purchase two pair. Like a fool, I suggested she buy a blue pair besides the black ones
she’d chosen. She let me know she’d never worn blue (as in navy) shoes in her life and wasn’t about to start now. And God forgive me for showing her the cute green spring
jacket when we went shopping for coats! I did learn from Pearl never to mix
fudtimun? in the same traveling bag with krumkaka? She was right. What a character Pearl
was with a heart for giving that seemed to know no limits. An example leaves us a
legacy of love for family and friends. God bless Pearl as she greets my Eldo with his
heavenly instructions.
Mj
kelsey lee says
To the family of Pearl Guttromson,
I am sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in knowing that “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34;18) With sympathy,