Agnes Leer

Agnes Leer, age 98 of Apple Valley, passed away on April 3, 2025 in Apple Valley, MN. Survived by her children, Kathryn Larson, Evinda (Bob) Lund, Carl (Amy) Leer, and Margaret (Nic Flores) Leer; grandchildren, Brek Larson, Mikkel Larson, Lane (Jill) Larson, Melissa (Derek) Granberg, Graham (Lindsey Malliet) Lund, Evan Lund, Benjamin (Catherine Perrault) Leer, and Quentin Leer; great-grandchildren, Steffen Larson, Josie Larson, Alex Granberg, Drew Granberg, Kate Granberg, Cosette Van Rite-Lund, Theodore Leer, and Olivier Leer; brother, A. Nord Bjorke; many beloved nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; siblings, Bruce Bjorke and Lydia Lagerquist; and son-in-law, Brad Larson.

Agnes was born to Arnvid and Agnes (Loff) Bjorke in Wolverton, MN on April 9, 1926. Her mother died ten days later. Until she was six years old, “Little Agnes” lived with her Loff grandparents on the Wolverton farm. In 1932, she left the farm and moved to Minot, ND with her father, his new wife, Pearl, and her new siblings: Nord, Lydia, and Bruce.

Agnes began violin lessons in the third grade and played in the school orchestra. She took lessons at the Minot Teacher’s College and played in an ensemble there. She also played the harmonica. She loved to skate; ice skating in the winter and sidewalk skating in warmer weather.

In 1941, the family moved to Rugby, ND. Agnes attended and graduated from Rugby High School. After school hours, she cleaned the apartment for the town baker’s family. She also worked at Baillie’s Drug Store as a “soda jerk” after school and as an usher at the local theater one night a week. At the theater, she watched many newsreels of the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Agnes spent the summers in Wolverton, MN with her Loff grandparents, enjoying times with aunts, uncles and many cousins. Grandma Loff taught her the love of gardening and sewing. Grampa Loff taught her to fish, spending many enjoyable summer hours on the lake. They would take off in the Model T in the morning for the lake and spend the day fishing for supper. After her Loff grandparents moved to Portland, OR, Agnes spent the summers with her Bjorke grandparents in Abercrombie, ND.

Agnes graduated from Rugby High School in 1944 and then attended Minot Teacher’s College to earn her temporary teaching certificate to teach in the rural one-room schools. Her first job was in a rural school near Abercrombie, ND where she had eleven students. Each summer, she had to renew her teaching certificate and attended Moorhead State Teachers College and Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Agnes has many fun stories about teaching in a one-room school. She also spent summers with her Uncle Waldo Bjorke’s family in Abercrombie. She loved spending time with her cousins in Aber.

In 1947, Agnes took a job in Fargo at the Bell Telephone Company. She made friends with a gal (Majorie) from Abercrombie that worked at the VA in Fargo. After Thanksgiving that year, Marjorie said that Agnes could ride back with her and her brother to Fargo. That was the first time she met Clarence. That year, the Leer’s had a sleigh ride on the farm. That was their first date! Clarence was attending NDSU so there were many more dates before they were married at First Lutheran Church in Rugby on September 11, 1948. Agnes continued to work for Bell while Clarence finished his civil engineering degree at NDSU. They lived in a Quonset hut provided for veterans attending college on the GI bill. Kathryn was born in September, 1950.

After Clarence graduated from NDSU in December, the family moved to Redding, CA where Clarence began working for the California Department of Highways. Evinda was born in December, 1952. In 1955, the family moved to Richfield, MN. Carl was born in 1956 and Margaret Ann in 1959. In 1960, they had a house built out in the country in a new housing area called Palomino Hills. Agnes became an “Avon Lady” and later was a librarian at Westview Elementary School. She gave sewing and quilting lessons in her home.

The family spent summers traveling: to visit relatives in northern Minnesota and North Dakota; a week each summer was spent in a cabin on Lake Darling near Alexandria, or visiting relatives in California and Oregon. These trips were always car trips with many adventures along the way.

After Agnes and Clarence retired in 1990, they enjoyed spending more time with their children and grandchildren. They also found time to work on their hobbies. Clarence loved woodworking and Agnes loved gardening, made quilts and did handwork. There are many lucky recipients of their handiwork. They also traveled to many places and with many friends. Their favorite trips were visiting relatives in Norway.

Agnes was active at Woodlake Lutheran Church in Richfield, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rosemount, and most recently at Shepard of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley. She was a member of the Minnesota Quilters, Needlework Guild, Rosemount Garden Club, Rosemount and Apple Valley Girls Scouts, many book clubs, and delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.

Memorial Service at 11am on May 5, 2025, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, with visitation one hour prior. A private Inurnment at Lebanon Cemetery will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or the donor’s choice.