Lois (Gregg) Maakestad, 93, of rural Osage, was born on October 17, 1928 to Blanche (Padelford) Gregg and Alva Gregg at St. Olaf Hospital in Austin, Minnesota. Lois passed away on July 11, 2022 at the Osage Rehabilitation Center. A private family graveside service will be held later at the Rock Creek Lutheran Cemetery with Pastor Sarah Nye officiating.
Lois, was baptized at the St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin Minnesota. She grew up on a farm north of Lyle Minnesota, and attended Red Star Country School through the 8th grade. Lois attended High School in Lyle Minnesota. She was involved in band, a quartet, and athletics. She graduated valedictorian in the class of 1946. She attended Austin Junior College, and her first job was at Lyle Farmers State Bank. Later, she was employed by First National Bank in Austin, Minnesota and later at Home Trust Bank in Osage, Iowa.
During her teen’s she helped her parents with farm chores; including, raising 1,000 laying hens. They sold the eggs to the hatchery in Austin Minnesota at a premium price. The only bad thing about raising chickens was dealing with the “mean roosters”.
She met her husband, Maurice Maakestad, while playing softball with the Ladies Osage Softball Team. They were married on August 25th, 1951 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Lyle Minnesota. Maurice and Lois had two sons, Gregg Allan and Michael David.
Maurice and Lois bought the homesteaded Century Maakestad farm in 1963. They continued farming until 2015. She preferred doing fieldwork to housekeeping. She loved bowling, fishing with family and friends, playing 500 and whist and woodworking. They had a big garden for many years and had fun selling the produce to various farmers markets and grocery stores. Lois also loved her berry patches and liked to make jams and jellies. Black raspberry jelly was her favorite. She was a great cook and always had fresh baked items for her grandchildren!
Lois and Maurice were members of Rock Creek Lutheran Church of rural Osage, Iowa. She served as Financial Secretary for Rock Creek Lutheran Church, and as treasurer for Rock Creek Church Women. She taught Sunday School and was a faithful member of the Rachel Circle group. She also sang in the Ladies Chorus at church. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her family loved her immensely and will miss her witty humor, her moral character and her willingness to always help others. She was a role model mom who worried about everyone else in spite of what she was going through in life.
She was preceeded in death by her parents, Blanche and Alva Gregg, her husband, Maurice, her sister-in-law, Dorothy Berry, her brother and sister-in-law, Edwin and Jaqueline Maakestad, her brother–in-law, Kenneth, and her brother-in-law, Ivan Johnson.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Katherine (Maakestad) Johnson, her son Michael, her son Gregg, daughter-in-law, Linnae, grandchildren Kelsey (Maakestad) and Ryan Jensen and their children Zachary, Dashiel, and Colton; Kristen (Maakestad) and Bryce Becker and their children Brayden and Blayne; Kyle and Heather (Herbsleb) Maakestad and their children Lincoln and Oliver; and beloved nieces and nephews.
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