A funeral service for Verla Mae (Hetle) Enestvedt was held on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Sacred Heart, MN beginning at 11:00a.m. A public visitation was held on Friday, August 11, 2023 at Opdal Church in rural Sacred Heart from 3:00-6:30p.m. Visitation continued Saturday morning at Our Saviors Lutheran Church from 10:00-11:00a.m. Burial took place at Opdal cemetery Saturday morning following the funeral service. A funeral luncheon was held at Our Saviors Lutheran Church following the graveside service.
Verla Mae (Hetle) Enestvedt was born on February 16, 1939 to Earl and Idelle (Volstad) Hetle in Echo, MN. Verla was raised in the river valley north of Echo, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at Rock Valle Lutheran Church. She graduated from Echo High School in the spring of 1957. She met Alan Enestvedt at a local dance. The couple fell in love and were married on June 29, 1957 at Rock Valle Lutheran Church. Together they raised four children on their farm south of Sacred Heart, MN. Being a farmer’s wife, Verla always kept everyone well fed with hotdishes like her famous scalloped potatoes.
Verla was a lover of all kinds of music. She regularly attended dances with Alan and their friends and played the guitar with her dad every chance she got. She shared her love of music with her children and grandchildren and could always be found with a tape recorder in the front row at musical competitions and events. Verla loved to travel. Whether it was traveling the river-bottom road with Verne, spending time on Norway Lake with family, traveling to Texas with Alan for the winter or taking her bucket list trip to Norway with Alan; she loved to be on the move. Verla kept active by participating in WELCA and her favorite social group, which started in the late 50’s as “The Charming Chicks,” still meets today. Verla never met a stranger and gave a piece of herself to everyone she knew.
After living at Meadows on Main in Renville, MN for a number of years, Verla moved to Bethesda Grand, Willmar, MN where she died on August 6, 2023.
She is survived by her children, Steve (Fiance Rita Andre-Thomas) Enestvedt and his children Melanie (Mike) Gordon, Stephanie (John) Zetah, Carrie (Juan) Leal; Dean (Deb) Enestvedt and their children Stacy Knott, Chris (Whitney) Enestvedt and Cory (Emily) Enestvedt; Kathy (Mike) Knutson and their children Tom (Kristi) Knutson and Ben (and friend Myrna) Knutson; Lynn Enestvedt and her son Austin (Fiance Evonne Womack) Enestvedt; thirteen great grandchildren; nephew Bill (Stephanie) Schulte; niece Brenda Vazquez; nephew Darian Schulte.
Verla is preceded in death by her husband Alan Enestvedt; her parents Earl and Idelle (Volstad) Hetle; mother and father-in-law Alfred and Edna (Samuelson) Enestvedt; sister and brother-in-law Linda and Doug Schulte; brother-in-law Dennis Enestvedt.
