Roy Harvey Ask, 101, of Houston, Minn., died April 14, 2019, at Valley View Healthcare and Rehab in Houston, Minn.
Roy was born July 19, 1917, on his family’s farm in Campbell Valley, near Money Creek, in Houston County, Minn. He was the fifth of 13 children of Norwegian immigrants, Haakon Karlsen Ask and Karen Annette (Hansen) Ask.
His early childhood was spent helping on the family farm. He later worked on several farms in the Houston area. Roy attended Cooper Elementary School in Winona County and graduated from Houston High School in 1935. He graduated from Winona Technical School in 1961 and went on to supplement his farming career with work for the State of MN Department of Transportation.
Roy married Blanche Persis Nelson on June 19, 1940, in a garden wedding at Money Creek, Minn. They farmed in the Houston-Sheldon area for 45 years and then moved to Houston where he was involved in many volunteer organizations. He was a member of the Houston County Farm Bureau, Gideons, Sheldon Town Board officer, 4-H leader, SEMCAC driver, Red Cross blood drive program, and was a Sunday School teacher. Roy was a chosen Senior Citizen at the Minnesota State Fair in 2005.
Roy was an active member of the Houston Baptist Church. He enjoyed woodworking, oil painting, singing, gardening and spending time with family. He taught his family the value of hard work.
He is survived by his children: Ahna (Ray) Wheeler, Blaine, Minn.; Paul (Janet) Ask, Fort Gratiot, Mich.; Arlouene (Robert) Pickett, Preston, Minn.; Terry (Sandra) Ask, Houston, Minn.; Faith Ask, Houston, Minn.; Jonathan Ask, Money Creek, Minn.; Miriam (Nathan) Bawden, Rosemount, Minn.; grandchildren: Ryan (Malynn) and Braden (Tina) Wheeler, Sara Knowlton, Stephanie Ask, Marla (Ryan) Rigas, Carla (Ron) Tiernan, Chris and Colin (Jennifer) Pickett, Cassandra (Marti) Waldo, Kim (Ted) Wichelt, Shannon (Scott)Hanson, Parker (Megan) Ask, Breanna Ask, Tyler (Meridith) Krage, Brittany (Seth)Sammons, Alyssa, Alex (Abigail), and Josiah Bawden; great-grandchildren: Paxton and Valentina Wheeler, Zac and Makenna Knowlton, Tyler, Heather, Kirsten Herman, Michael Piper, Ellie, Hannah, and Madelyn Rigas; Morgan, Kathryn, Cooper, Harper and Emma Pickett; Liam and Owen Hanson, Ahnikah, Astoria, and Avan Wichelt; Madison, Mackenzie and Lane Waldo; Augustus Ask; one brother, Lyle of Rochester; and three sisters, Esther Fiene of Gainesville, Fla., Carol Kilstofte of Pueblo, Colo., and Anita Currier of Pittsburg, Kans., and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his his wife Persis, daughters Janice Ask and Carrie (Steven) Krage; son David Ask, and great-grandchild, Megan Waldo; two brothers, Carl and Walter; and six sisters: Hardy Napstad, Alma Eberhard, Florence Votruba, Hazel McElmury, Velma Degallier, Evelyn Millen; and his parents.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on, April 27, 2019, at the Houston Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, at Hoff Funeral Home in Houston, Minn. Burial will be in the Swede Bottom Cemetery in rural Houston.
Memorials are preferred to Houston Baptist Church or Swede Bottom Cemetery.