Palmer Erling Westerlind, 83, passed away at Cook County North Shore Hospital on Friday, March 21, 2014.
Palmer was born July 17, 1930 in Bismarck, North Dakota, the fifth child and first boy of Victor and Albena Westerlind of Mercer, North Dakota.
He attended grade school in Mercer and worked on the family farm until he joined the U.S. Marine Corps on October 18, 1949. He served in Korea, where his term was extended to January 30, 1953.
On completion of his Korean service, he was transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he met his future bride, Nelda Bockovich. They were married May 3, 1953 in McCluskey, North Dakota.
They lived in Garrison and Mercer, North Dakota while he worked on the Garrison Dam and their daughter was born.
In 1956, they moved to the Tomahawk Timber Company’s temporary town of Forest Center, Minnesota. Palmer discovered he loved the forest, thus becoming “The Dakota Lumberjack.”
While living at Forest Center, the family increased by three boys.
When Tomahawk Timber closed, Palmer and Nelda moved to the Bockovich home farm in Grand Marais. Palmer farmed a little and worked in the woods for Marvin Soderlund and other loggers until 1976 when he started working for the Cook County Highway Department.
He retired from the county in 1992, but continued farming, raising cows and chickens, a pastime he greatly enjoyed. He enjoyed spending time with family, playing cards at gatherings of extended family and playing Uno and other games every Monday night at the farm with his children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter.
He is survived by his wife, Nelda; daughter Susan; sons Martin, Dennis and Eugene; grandchildren Roger (Andrea) and Rebecca. And, to his delight, great-granddaughter RosaBella. He is also survived by brothers Franklin and Arlo and sister Linnea.
Funeral services were held Thursday, March 27 at Cornerstone Community Church.
Leave a Reply