Vera M. Stensaas

Vera Marguerite Stensaas, Concordia, passed away at Sunset Home on February 13, 2015 after a long illness. She was born October 22, 1927 in Concordia to Ted E. and Hilda H. Johnston. She eloped to the Ozarks with Robert M. "Bob" Stensaas on July 1, 1949.

Vera worked most of her adult life at the J.C. Penney Department Store in Concordia. She started as a cashier in the office when pneumatic tubes were used instead of cash registers. She enjoyed helping people at Penney's, and could fold a fitted sheet as easily as a flat sheet. She would say "There are two ways to fold a bath towel; the Penney way or the wrong way". Her years in retail also made her a world-class gift wrapper, and her family learned to let her tie the ribbons on packages, lest they not meet the Vera Standard. She retired as a store manager after 44 years with the company.
Vera was always "put together." She would rarely leave the house without her hair and make-up done, and her purse, shoes and belt would always match. Numerous hours were spent looking for car keys or eye glasses in one of her many hand bags. Even though she worked at Penney's, she usually went shopping out of town so she wouldn't be dressed like someone else at church on Sunday.
Bob and Vera enjoyed visiting their children and grandchildren and spending time with her sister and brother-in-law, Norma and Chet Johnson of Bakersfield, CA. They had a close circle of friends who were more like family, and they spent many hours together eating, playing cards, or celebrating birthdays and holidays. Bob and Vera were married 58 years. An off-color or ornery remark from Bob would elicit an "Oh, Bob!" from Vera. There were many Oh-Bob's uttered over the years!
Vera was a woman of faith and a life-long member of The Baptist Church. She served on various committees including Deaconess', Circle, and was a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was a member of U All Come EHU, VFW Auxiliary and the Women of the Moose. She volunteered at the Senior Citizen's Center helping people do their taxes.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and husband Bob on July 4, 2007.
She is survived by her son Craig (Mindie) of North Mankato, MN; daughter Sue Guthrie of Concordia; granddaughters, Amanda Fisher (Jason) of Owatonna, MN; Alicyn Stensaas of Fort Collins, CO; and Killian Guthrie of Concordia; and a sister, Norma Johnson of Bakersfield, CA.
Visitation will be held on Monday, February 16 from 1:00 to 8:00 PM at Nutter Mortuary, with the family greeting visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, February 17 at Nutter Mortuary in Concordia. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Concordia. Memorial contributions may be given to Sunset Home or The Baptist Church in care of Nutter Mortuary.