Henriette (Riopel) Mickelson

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Biography

Henriette was born about 3 Jun 1913. She was the oldest daughter of Joseph Henri Riopel and Rebecca Ménard. She passed away on 12 February 1997. ^[1]

Henriette was orphaned with the death of her father in 1916 and of her mother in 1920, but lived with her Uncle Edmund. With the death of Henriette's Uncle in 1928, she was again orphaned at 13 years of age. Her step-mother, Adeline Riopelle, was left to care for and feed 10 children (5 children of her own, 3 stepchildren from Edmund's marriage to Rebecca Ménard, and 2 stepchildren from Rebecca Ménard's prior marriage to Edmund's brother Henri). This was at the beginning of the Great Depression and making ends meet was extremely difficult. Adeline struggled for some period, but finally Henriette and her sisters and brother by Edmund Riopelle and Rebecca Ménard (except for Edna, who was placed in a local home) had to be placed into a state run orphanage (the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children).^[2]

At the age of 13 she was placed in a home in Madelia in 1928, where she spent the remainder of her youth.

In Madelia she met Alvin Mickelson. They were married in Madelia on January 14, 1935.^[3]

In the 1940 United States Federal Census Henriette is living in Madelia, Minnesota, married to A.M. (Alvin Martin) Mickelson and had two daughters living with her. Her daughters are Darlene (age 4) and Yvonne (age 3).^[4]

Obituary

"Funeral services for Henriette M. Mickelson, 83, were held Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Madelia, with Pastor Roger Hanson officiating.

"Burial is in Butternut Cemetery.

"She died Wednesday, February 12, 1997, at the New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm.

"Henriette Marie (Riopelle) Mickelson, daughter of Henri and Rebecca (Menard) Riopelle, was born June 3, 1913 at Crookston.

"Henriette was raised and attended school at Crookston. Her parents died when she was young so she and her siblings went to live in foster homes. At the age of 13 she moved to Madelia. Her marriage to Alvin Mickelson took place in Madelia on January 14, 1935.

"They lived in Madelia following their marriage. Henriette was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Madelia and was active in circle and the Altar Guild.

"Mr. Mickelson died on February 10, 1970. Henriette continued to live in Madelia after her husband's death until moving to New Ulm to live with her daughter Yvonne Meyer and her husband, Warren about three years ago.

"Mrs. Mickelson is survived by her daughters, Darlene Beckman and her special friend David McCaleb of Rochester; Yvone (Vonnie) Meyer and her husband, Warren of New Ulm, Karen Mosel and her husband, Don of Lakewood, Colo.; eight grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; sisters, Irene Wiborg of Winthrop, Edna Sahm of Escondido, Calif,, Esther Wallace and her husband, Jack of Seattle, Wash.; an aunt, Fabiola Boucher of Crookston and several nieces and nephews.

"She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son Gerrard; daughter Mary; granddaughter Kristen and a brother Armand Riopelle."

Sources

1. ↑ Death certificate CERTID# 1997-MN-004402
2. ↑ Excerpts from Aunt Edna’s Recollections (written by Edna Riopelle who was one of Esther's sisters.)
3. ↑ "Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M5-V3CL : 9 March 2021), Alvin Martin Mickelson and Henriette Marie Riopelle, 1935.
4. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census
5. ↑ Madelia Times Messenger, February 1997