Obituary of Margaret Hattstad

Margaret Hattstad, born Gudney Margaret Hofteig, to Stephen S. and Gudney Matthildour (Westdal) Hofteig, May 2, 1909 completed her full life March 20, 2009. Margaret was born, baptized and spent much of her youth in Westerheim Township and Minneota, MN. Margaret lost her mother (Mattie) to TB at the age of 3 ½ years. Her early years were with her father, Stephen, and step-mother Margaret (Benson) Hofteig, sometimes living in Manitoba, Canada. Many of Margaret's adolescent years were spent in the loving home of John and Margaret Isfeld, her Aunt and Uncle. Margaret graduated from Minneota High School in 1926 and studied business courses in Mankato. August 25, 1938 she and Theodor Hattstad (a Norwegian immigrant) were married and would be together for the next 40 years. Ted lost his life to cancer in 1978. Their first home was in Minneapolis. In 1946 they moved to Spring Lake, MN. "Ted's Farm" was featured in the local paper, his quote was, "He had the best Democratic Soil". In later years Margaret lived at Riverwood Village in Cambridge, Brask Haven in Spring Lake and finally at Grace Point Crossing West in Cambridge. Margaret enjoyed a life of service to the Cambridge State Hospital for 25 years. After her retirement she cheerfully gave her time to Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Welcome Wagon Club, Mom's Co-op, the Spring Lake Lutheran Church and Choir (until age 91), Laubach Reading Program, Hekla Icelandic Women's Club, and taught her friends to bake bread. She was fluent in Icelandic, Norwegian and English. Margaret enjoyed making friends wherever she lived or traveled, she will be missed by so many. Margaret enjoyed cooking, baking, knitting, sewing, gardening, exercising, and being with family and friends. She loved language and teaching others correct pronunciation. She enjoyed her travels to Iceland, Norway, and Canada. Margaret is reunited with her husband Theodor, her parents, her brothers, Stephen, Haldor & Bjorn, her sisters, Tavia, Louise & Sylvia, many aunts, uncles and cousins. Margaret will be remembered and missed by her brother Ferdinand Hofteig of Winnipeg, Manitoba, many nieces and nephews, Susan (Hofteig) & Dennis Ehn of North Branch, Mary Jo (Hofteig) & Nick Taylor of North Branch, Dr. John Hofteig of Chicago, Lauren & Gay Hofteig of Mound, and her special friend Ted Bouchard of North Branch. Margaret was a fiercely "Independent Woman", and a "Proud Icelander" and our family's "Energizer Bunny". Margaret was a role model of overcoming life's challenges and of aging graciously.