First Rate Care

Isabel Maxine (Gramer) Tronson

Isabel Maxine (Gramer) Tronson was born in Waukegan, IL to Harold & Agnes (Strand) Gramer, originally from Crookston. When Isabel was a yr. old, her mother passed away, leaving her husband with 4 children. Mary, Buddy (Harold Jr), Gloria & Isabel, ages 6 and under. In those circumstances, Isabel's maternal grandmother, Karoline Strand travelled to Waukegan to bring the kids to be raised with her in Crookston. Isabel's Aunts Vivian & Elizabeth and Uncle Dick were still living in the home when they were added and felt like siblings to Isabel.

Isabel attended Eugene Field Elem. School. In high school, Isabel played violin & drums. She was in the drum corps that won the international competition in Winnipeg in 1946. During her Senior yr. at Central High in Crookston, she worked as the "ticket girl" for the Gopher movie theater. It was there that she met her future husband, Walt, a Coon Rapids native. The two were married on 8/24/47, just shortly after Isabel graduated from high school.

Walt built the couple's 1st home across the alley from where Isabel was raised. Isabel was a homemaker, raising the couples 4 daughters, Jennifer, Janna, Jackie & Joan. She was very involved in the church women's groups and as a school classroom mom, back when home baked treats could enter the classroom! When Joan started kindergarten, Isabel started providing childcare. She and "Walty" were loved by the many kids cared for in the house. When Joan went to high school, Isabel decided to reclaim her house and began her work in the dietary dept. at Riverview Health in Crookston. She retired and then proceeded to volunteer there, preparing lots of toast for same-day surgery patients!

Walt & Isabel enjoyed travelling, mostly to visit family. Many summers were spent in Idaho visiting where many family members lived. Other trips were to Washington DC, to Boston and to LA, where Isabel learned that swimming in the ocean is very different than swimming in the lake! We are fortunate that Isabel's brother-in-law was able to fish her out of the Pacific by the back of her swimsuit! As Isabel & Walt's 50th Anniversary celebration in Carmel, CA, she did not go in the water!

Isabel loved to knit and later learned to spin as a member of the Red River Valley Fiber Guild. Her love of good quality yarn led her to open her own small business "The Hubbard Cupboard", operated from her home and in which she sold yarn, knitting needles and some of her hand knit items. Mostly her knitting went to family, friends and was donated; caps to the hospital for new babies; baby booties for the ministers to bring to new babies (and to match the caps); hats, mittens and scarves to mitten trees, blankets to crises shelters and the Linus project. Over the years she was a Campfire Troup leader; a Sunday school teacher; an election judge; a member of the church quilting group, and a good friend.

Being raised in the home of her Norwegian immigrant grandparents, Isabel was raised to honor that experience and was a member of the Morgensol Lodge of the Sons of Norway in Crookston. Her love of politics came from the fact her parents dining room had served as a voting location for many years when Isabel was young…times have changed! Mostly she was raised to value her family. She has 6 living grandchildren ranging in age from 49 to 17, 2 grandchildren died in infancy. She has 16 living great-grandchildren ranging in age from almost 28 to almost 1,1 great-grandchild died in infancy. Although facing memory challenges now, she still enjoys seeing people and engaging with the team at Fair Meadow!