Gwen Mortinsen - Oldham

April 18, 1954 – July 4, 2017

Posted

Gwen Famay Mortinsen, 63, died peacefully on July 4, 2017, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.   
A visitation is scheduled for Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Johnson Henry Funeral Home in Arlington. A short burial service will be held on Monday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Andreas Cemetery East of Oldham, with a lunch gathering to follow at the Oldham Gymnasium.  All are welcome to attend and help celebrate Gwen's life.    
Gwen was born on April 18, 1954, in Madison to Floyd and Betty Mortinsen.
She graduated from Oldham High School in 1972 and then attended Watertown Business University where she graduated with a degree in business.     
Gwen had a giving spirit and enjoyed working with children.  She taught Sunday and Bible School for seven years, and worked for more than 20 years at the Youth Enrichment Services Daycare Center as the office manager.     
Her nieces and nephews remember her as a kind and loving aunt who was their biggest fan, and always encouraged them to pursue their dreams.  
Gwen loved family, friends and holidays more than anything.  She worked to make holidays special with annual Easter egg hunts, Halloween parties, and the special boxes she used to wrap presents for Christmas.       Gwen was accomplished at scrapbooking and plastic canvas, and often shared her creations with family and friends.  
She was an active and dedicated member of the Oldham American Legion Auxiliary and often volunteered at various events.
She is survived by  her brothers, Mike of Madison and Larry (Robin) of Colton; five nieces and nephews;  and three great-nieces and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.     
She was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Betty (Junker) Mortinsen, her grandparents, Christian Mortinsen, Nora (Swain) Peterson, Herbert and Famay (Smith) Junker, and many aunts and uncles.