A pioneer resident of the Big Lake area in Scandia who carved his life farming and dedicated time and resources to the community has died.

John G. Edstrom, a tireless volunteer for Gammelgarden Museum and other civic functions in his home area, died Monday, May 30 at Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis. He was 88.

Edstrom, a third-generation resident of the Big Lake area east of Forest Lake, was born on Aug. 9, 1916 on the family farm near Big Marine Lake. The farm had been settled by his grandparents in 1870.

After high school in Stillwater, Edstrom spent most of his life on the 135-acre homestead as a dairy farmer. As the youngest of four children, he assumed many farm duties and eventually bought the business from his parents in 1944.

As a means of preserving the farm from development, Edstrom in 2000 sold the land to Washington County for use as a regional park.

Edstrom was active in numerous community functions and he was a key figure in the development of the Gammelgarden Museum in Scandia. He was a board member for many years.

Edstromís public work also included stints on the New Scandia Town Board where he was a board chair. He also served on the old Big Lake School Board, the Washington County Farm Bureau, the Washington County Historical Society and the Scandia Senior Housing Corporation. He was also active at Elim Lutheran Church.

A memorial service for John Gustav Edstrom was Saturday, June 4 at Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia. A private family interment is planned at the Elim Lutheran Church Cemetery.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Harriet; sons Peter (Beth) Edstrom, Menomonie, WI, and Philip (Ruth) Edstrom, Minneapolis; daughter Beth Nygaard, Minneapolis; sister Eva Olson, Minneapolis; and eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Memorials are preferred to Lutheran World Relief, the Gammelgarden Museum or Elim Lutheran Church Missions and Outreach.

For more information, call Mattson Funeral Home, Forest Lake, 651-464-3556.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605