Evelyn Katherine Harmsen

Evelyn Katherine Harmsen was born on April 13, 1927 outside of Wilmont, Minnesota. She was the first born to Joseph and Josephine (Wiltgen) Voss. Later they moved north of Adrian, Minnesota until 1943 when they moved to a farm northeast of Woodstock, Minnesota when Evelyn was 16 years old. On May 9, 1944 she was united in marriage to William Krell, Jr. at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Woodstock.

Evelyn and Bill ran the Woodstock Café for a time after moving into town. Due to Bill’s health issues Evelyn began waitressing at Sid and Min’s Café in Pipestone, Minnesota. Bill passed away on May 25, 1957 due to brain cancer. After Bill’s death Evelyn began working at the Flame Room bar also in Pipestone. 

On September 2, 1958 Evelyn was united in marriage to Russ Harmsen. They moved to Ihlen, Minnesota. Two months later Russ and Evelyn bought into the Glass House Steak House with Dale and LeeAnn Hess in March 1959. Russ and Evelyn had three children together. They owned and operated the business for 25 years until 1984. Evelyn began working at the Country Club in Pipestone along with volunteering her services for seniors. She was active at the Senior Center at Ihlen, volunteering and playing cards with friends. Evelyn celebrated her 80^th birthday at the Country Club after which she retired. That summer she and Russ moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota.

They enjoyed spending time at their lake home at Pickerel Lake, Minnesota for 60 years along with some traveling in their early years with friends and daughter Joyce and husband Carl in their later years. Evelyn enjoyed being with people and made many friends in her years of working. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. In August of 2018 they moved to Luverne, Minnesota when Russ was admitted to the Minnesota Veterans Home and Evelyn lived with her daughter Deanna. Evelyn visited Russ daily at the Vet’s home until his death on October 26, 2018. She moved to Poplar Creek in Luverne a month later. In May of 2020 she moved across the street to the Mary Jane Brown Nursing Home. On Thursday, March 23, 2023, Evelyn passed away peacefully at the home at the age of 95 years, 11 months, and 10 days.