Cornelia M. Backman

OSAGE - Cornelia Maurine Backman, 96, of Osage, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, at the Faith Lutheran Home in Osage.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Osage with the Rev. Roy Ott officiating. Burial will be in the Whalan Lutheran Cemetery in Whalan, Minn., at a later date. Visitation will be from 9 until 10:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the church.
Cornelia Maurine Backman, born on Dec. 20, 1914, was the first of five children born to Oscar S. and Jessie O. (Askegaard) Reitan. Following her graduation from Comstock (Minnesota) High School, she went to Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., where she graduated in 1935 with degrees in education, music, and English. Her first two teaching jobs were in small high schools in northern Minnesota. She then moved to Brockton, Mont., where she taught high school on the Indian reservation. While in Brockton, she was the church organist and choir director. It was there that she met Pastor Arden H. Backman. They were married on Aug. 9, 1942, at Hoff Lutheran Church, in rural Moorhead, Minn. Arden and Cornelia served congregations in Brockton, Bainville and Culbertson, Mont., Whitefish, Mont., Circle, Mont., Wykoff, Minn., Lime Springs, Iowa, and Carpenter, Iowa. They retired to Osage in 1978, where they were active members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Cornelia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 64 years, Arden; her brother, Pernell; her sister, Evelyn Holth; an infant sister; and a nephew, David Holth.
She is survived by four children, Dwight of Sparta, Wis., Charles of Osage, Afton (Russell) Duenow of Fredericksburg, Va., and Stephen of Clear Lake; five grandchildren, Bradley Backman, Bjorn Backman, Lt. Col. Corbin Backman, Bryan Duenow and Lt. Victor Duenow.
She also enjoyed her great-grandchildren, Gunnar and Kai Backman, Colton and Kennedy Anne Backman, Elsa Rane Backman, and was looking forward to the birth of another in the summer.
She is also survived by her sister, Marcelle Horton of Breckenridge, Minn.
Cornelia loved music and was involved as organist or choir director in numerous churches. Upon retirement, she maintained her love of music by performing organ and piano duets at church. She was active in Sons of Norway, taking great pride in her Norwegian heritage. Never afraid to express her opinions, her constant energy, ideas, and genuine curiosity will be greatly missed. "We love you, Mom."
Information available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com
Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, 641- 732-3706.