Gerald Victor Koxlien

Gerald Victor Koxlien, age 96, of Big Slough, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 in the Gundersen Tri-County Hospital in Whitehall.Gerald was born in Big Slough on the Koxlien farm on May 13, 1919 to Olaf and Olava (Lien) Koxlien. He lived his entire life on the family farm. Gerald attended school at the Big Slough schoolhouse and completed eighth grade. He purchased the farm from his mother in 1941.Gerald married Beulah Jean Mitskogen on August 21, 1948 in the First Lutheran Church in Blair. Later to come were four children. His life was devoted to his family and the family farm. Gerald made sure each of his children got an excellent education. His life was about dairy farming and even when his vision was failing due to glaucoma, he would still head for the barn to milk his cows.Gerald is survived by his wife, Beulah, of 67 years of marriage, four children, Gene Koxlien on the family farm, Dr. Galen (Ursula) Koxlien of Galesville, Dr. Blaine Koxlien of Big Slough and Linda Koxlien of Minneapolis, MN; six grandchildren, Dr. Brandon (Rachel) Koxlien of Pigeon Falls, Melissa (John) Hammill of Redondo Beach, CA, Derrik Koxlien of Big Slough, Dr. Garet Koxlien of Japan, Alisha Koxlien of Louisville, KY and Ailea Koxlien of Minneapolis, MN;one great-grandchild, Britta Raelyn Koxlien, born two days before Gerald's 96th birthday, she was born May 11, 2015. Gerald was excited to be a great-grandpa.In addition to his parents, Gerald was preceded in death by six sisters and their spouses, Martha (Albert) Stalheim, Isabel (Mathias) Anderson, Selma (Ernest) Stalheim, Irena (Emory) Erickson, Ida (Arnold) Mickelson and Ila (Jens) Staff; four brothers and their spouses, Norris (Edna) Koxlien, Olger (Pearl) Koxlien, Orin (Beulah) Koxlien and Truman (Marion) Koxlien.Gerald was the last surviving son of Olaf and Olava Koxlien and the last surviving grandson of Nils and Ingeborg Koxlien.Funeral services will be held on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. in Peace Lutheran of Pigeon Falls with burial in the Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery both in Pigeon Falls. Pastor Yvonne Marshall will officiate.Visitation will be Saturday, July 18, 2015 from 4-7 p.m. in the Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Sunday.