Otillia "Tillie" Aune

Otillia “Tillie” Aune, 95, of Tintah, MN, passed away on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Broen Home in Fergus Falls, MN.  Visitation will be held on Friday, November 8, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM at St. Gall’s Catholic Church in Tintah.  Burial will be at St. Gall’s Catholic Cemetery.  Arrangements are entrusted to Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home.

Tillie (Otillia) Aune was born May 26, 1924, to Joseph and Agnes (Koziol) Keller on a farm near Tintah, MN. She was the fourth in a family of 14 children. Until she died, she knew how old each of her siblings was and the date of their birth. She grew up in the farming area of Tintah and attended rural schools, riding to school in a horse drawn wagon during the winters and enjoying such delicacies as syrup sandwiches and potatoes baked on the school stove for lunch. As a child, one of her responsibilities was baking bread for the family. She made bread for 16 every other day. She continued making bread through her adult life also, though not the quantity needed for a house of 16. It was wonderful to come home from school to the smell of her homemade bread.

Tillie fell in love with the new neighbor that moved in a mile down the road. She and Ozzie were married in 1942 and raised their family of seven children on that farm. Ozzie died Feb. 20th, 1975 while on vacation in New Mexico. In 1976, Tillie moved the house off the farm into Tintah and lived there until 2014.

In 1970, Tillie had an aneurism in her brain that caused a stroke leaving her with many difficulties communicating. In spite of the difficulty she had coping with that, she finished raising their children after Ozzie died. She continued driving and living on her own until she was 89. We all crossed our fingers about the driving part and fortunately the garage wall was the only casualty.

Tillie loved sewing, embroidering, ceramics and crocheting pot holders. She continued crocheting until she was 90 and it became too difficult. Her brightly colored potholders and hand embroidered towels will be around for many more years. She was also a devout Twins fan and seldom missed watching their games.

In 2014, Tillie moved into Twin Town Villa in Breckenridge, MN. She enjoyed being there until 2016 when she had several health issues and moved to the Broen Home in Fergus Falls.

Tillie and Ozzie had seven children and gave them all beautiful names. And then didn’t use them. First Bobby (Robert), then Jenny Kay (Janet), Marcy (Marcine), Mikey (Michael), Tutti (Lynnae), Kenny (Kenneth), and Rhonda who, being the youngest, got to keep and use her real name.

They were also blessed to have seven sons and daughters-in-law, who, although weren’t given nicknames, were loved dearly.  Bob and Mavis Aune, Jan and Jim Graham, Marcy and Duane Porter, Mike and Mary Aune, Lynnae and Doug Loeks, Ken and Marylin Aune, and Rhonda and Jeff Ross.  It was a great sadness when Doug passed away on January 8, 2019.

Tillie had 19 grandchildren who could do no wrong. They were also smarter and better looking than other grandchildren. Sonja, Lea, Shane, Jory, Jared, Nathan, Erin, Mark, Michelle, Josh, Erica, Jacob, Brad, Alicia, Renee, Justin and Dan. Two of the heartbreaks of her life were the loss of two grandsons, Robert and Jason.

Mom had been looking forward to the birth of her first great-great grandchild. But she was nearing the end of life when little Jack Robert was born. When one soul leaves, another takes its place. Jack was born late Halloween evening and Mom died Nov. 2nd, at 11:42 am. Her first child, Bob, had her first grandchild Sonja. Sonja had Moms first great grandchild Joe, and Joe is the father of the first great-great-grandchild, Jack. The circle of life.

Her living siblings, Cyril Keller, Edward Keller, Eleanor Olson, Mary Carlson, Audrey Johnson, and Toby Keller. Deceased siblings, Irene Helsene, Louis Keller, Dorothy Michels, Grace Georgen, Regina Thomas, Rita Lehman, and Janice Schillinger.