OBITUARY: Gloria Tollefson

Gloria Jean Tollefson, 77, of Sunburg, died Thursday, May 21, 2026 at her home after a brief battle with cancer. Her funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 29 at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunburg. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church and continue one hour prior to her service. Burial will be at West Norway Lake Lutheran Cemetery in Sunburg. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, www.hafh.org.

Gloria Jean (Pelkey) Tollefson was born on March 22, 1949, to Gerald and Dorothy (Boever) Pelkey in Belgrade. She attended school in Belgrade and graduated from Belgrade High School in 1967. In the summer of 1967 Gloria met Milton Tollefson at the Brooten Pavilion Ballroom. On July 12, 1969, after a whirlwind romance, the couple eloped to Watertown, South Dakota. One week after their marriage, Milton was deployed to Vietnam.

After Milton returned home from the service, the couple rented a home for five years just east of Sunburg, before settling in Sunburg in 1975, where they made their lifelong home together. They were blessed with two sons: Eric and Thor. Gloria was a homemaker until returning to school at Willmar Vo-Tech, where she studied accounting. Gloria worked for Ronning and Baker Accounting before beginning a 16-year career with Kandiyohi County Human Services. She remained there until her retirement in 2011.

Gloria had a love for travel and adventure. Whether by bus or motorcycle, she enjoyed exploring the United States and Canada. She was especially grateful to fulfill three lifelong dream trips to Scotland, Ireland, and Hawaii with her sister and close friends.

Gloria was active in her community and belonged to several organizations including the Hog Association, Sunburg VFW Auxiliary, Sons of Norway, and the Kandiyohi County Historical Society, where she volunteered her time. She was also a charter member of the Sunburg Ambulance and a devoted member of Hope Lutheran Church, singing in the church choir for many years.

Above all, Gloria treasured her family. She was incredibly proud of her grandchildren and loved attending their activities and hosting special tea parties with her granddaughters. Gloria will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend whose kindness, warmth, and caring spirit touched many lives.

Gloria is survived by her husband, Milton Tollefson of Sunburg; sons: Eric (Carol) Tollefson of Sunburg and Thor (Kristina) Tollefson of Fergus Falls; grandchildren: Mitchell (Becca) Tollefson and their son, Noah, Megan (Will) Fournier and their daughter, Viola, Ethan Tollefson (Victor Pagan-Cruz), Olivia, Lillian, and Isabella Tollefson, Adelyn, Elenora, William and Finnley Miley. She is also survived by her step-brother, Larry (Diane) Henjum of New London.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald Pelkey and Dorothy (Boever) Pelkey-Henjum; stepfather, Arnold Henjum; brothers: Norbert Pelkey, Ronald Pelkey, Jerome Pelkey; and sisters, Geraldine (Pelkey) Wallace and Elenora (James) Sandstrom. Blessed be her memory.