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Koreen Kathryn Brustuen

Koreen Kathryn Brustuen, age 89 of Appleton, Minnesota, passed away Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at the Appleton Area Health Services-Care Center.

Visitation for Koreen Brustuen will be held Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Appleton, MN.

Funeral services for Koreen Kathryn Brustuen will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Appleton, MN.

A private burial will be held this summer at Artichoke Lake Lutheran Cemetery.

Koreen Kathryn Brustuen was born December 23, 1935, in Artichoke Township, Minnesota, the daughter of Rudolph and Olive (Pederson) Boe. She was raised in Synnes Township, Minnesota, and graduated from Alberta High School in 1954.

March 14, 1954, Koreen was united in marriage to Orville Brustuen by Rev. William Peterson at Drywood Lutheran Church. They were blessed with three children: Rodney, Mark, and Koni. Koreen and Orville made their home north of Appleton where they farmed from 1954 to 1998. They moved to Appleton in 1982 after a house fire. Koreen was a homemaker and worked at Liebe Drug Store for 20 years.

In her quiet time, Koreen loved jigsaw puzzles, watching the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings, and visiting with others. She spent endless hours visiting others who were ill or in need of a friend, bringing a hot meal with her for them. She always put others first. She attended most community events and fundraisers. Koreen also attended many sporting events and concerts for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren over the years. She never turned down a chance to support them.

Koreen loved the holidays, with the house decorated for each holiday. Getting the family together was important, sharing the time together and eating a great home-cooked meal. She also enjoyed her cats, volunteering, cooking, baking and fishing with her husband and later her grandchildren, especially ice fishing. She loved baking bread and had just made a batch of bread with her granddaughter a few weeks prior to her death. Coffee and cookies were always something she had available for family and friends.

Faith was important to Koreen. She was active at Zion Lutheran Church in Appleton. She worked at the food stand at the Swift County Fair and was a member of the Ladies’ Aid. She used her many talents to help her neighbors, driving them to medical appointments and being a good friend and helper.

She is survived by special friend Floyd Eliason; children: Rodney Brustuen (special friend Kathy Tilbury) of Revillo, SD, Mark (Vickie) Brustuen of Holloway, MN, and Koni (Jerry) Reese of Owatonna, MN; nine grandchildren: Roshelle (Steve) Schirm, Nicholas Brustuen, Kari (Dustin) Johnson, Kyle (Leah) Brustuen, Brian Brustuen, Beth (Matthew) Brawn, Brant (Stephanie) Swenson, Tyler (Leslee) Swenson, and Garrett Swenson; nineteen great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law: Stanley Staples of Chokio, MN, and Jerry (Lori) Brustuen of Lake Lillian, MN; sister-in-law Claudia Brustuen of Madison, MN; several nieces and nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Preceding Koreen in death were her husband Orville Brustuen, parents Rudolph and Olive Boe, stepmother Frieda Lemmerman, daughter-in-law Jeanne Brustuen, sisters Janet Staples and Karen Goldenstein, and brothers-in-law James Brustuen and Richard Goldenstein, father and mother-in-law Ole and Verna Brustuen.

Arrangements are with Zniewski Funeral Home-Vaala Chapel in Appleton, MN.