Fay Arlene Colgan, 88, of Chatfield, Minn., passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield, with her three daughters at her side. She was born at home on August 22, 1935, to Frank and Lottie (Gray) Krueger. She grew up on the farm, located about seven miles west of Chatfield with her siblings, and attended the District #99 and “Dogtown” schools through eighth grade and graduated from Chatfield High School in 1953. She enjoyed helping arrange many class reunions.
In the fall of 1953 she moved to Rochester and worked as a nursing assistant at the Methodist Kahler Hospital. She met her future husband, William D. Colgan of Dover, Minn., on March 17, 1956, at the Playmor Ballroom in Rochester and they were married on November 11, 1956 in Chatfield at the Presbyterian Church. They began their married lives in rural Byron, living there for a short time and subsequently to SE Rochester, and onto Dover where they lived for eight years and then to Chatfield in 1968, having built a house there.
Fay worked on and off while raising their daughters as a waitress and later as a home health aide for Fillmore County. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, tatting and braiding rugs; especially beautiful wool rugs. She enjoyed anything crafty and later took up painting as well. After her husband retired from IBM they enjoyed taking a camper to Texas for the winter months for several years. It was there that Bill died suddenly in March 2000. She returned and continued to live in Chatfield for a short time before moving to Pine Island, where she lived until 2018, when she came to live in Chatfield at the Assisted Living portion of the Care Center in Chatfield.
She was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church, the Chatfield VFW Auxillary 6913 and the Order of the Eastern Star.
She always enjoyed a good joke and her wit and sense of humor brought great delight to those who met her or cared for her in her last years in Chatfield. That was her blessing to us and others.
Fay is survived by her three daughters: Karen (Ron) Greenslade of rural Stewartville, Kimberly Wendt of Eyota, and Karolyn (Randy) Boyum of rural Utica; 10 grandchildren: Tami Greenslade, Tina (Greg) Altman, Tara (Jens) Dammen, Tisha (Ben) Frost, Tristen Crooks, Talia (John) Kruse, Tatum (John) Holdvogt, John (Megan) Boyum, Joe (Carrie) Boyum and Jessica (Taylor) Montgomery; and 31 great-grandchildren with one more on the way, two sisters, Vera Standish of Caledonia and Noreen (Don) Sanford of Pine Island, one brother, Leonard Krueger of Brainerd, and many nieces and nephews.
Fay was preceded in death by her husband Bill, grandson Jordan Wendt, brother Ronald Krueger and his wife Judy of Wabasha, brother-in-law Robert Standish, and grandson-in-law Cole Crooks.
Her daughters wish to thank the Chosen Valley Care Center and Assisted Living staff for the compassion and care their Mom has received over the last five plus years and to Seasons Hospice these past few months for their knowledge, assistance, and compassion.
Private services will be held at a later date per her wishes. Hoff Funeral Home in Chatfield is assisting her family with arrangements. Online condolences are welcome at www.hofffuneral.com.
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