Yvonne was born in St. Paul at Anker Hospital (now Regions) to Vera and Ole. Her childhood took a dramatic turn when her mother died while she was still very young. She and her brothers were sent north to Warren, Minnesota, to be raised by their grandmother and aunt, alongside two cousins. Warren was small and close-knit, the kind of place where everyone knew each other, and the schools were excellent.
Yvonne’s father visited only briefly when she was eight, and not again until she was twenty-four, when he asked her to move to California. Her life was in Minnesota, she told him, and she remained here. She later saw him once more before he passed away.
After high school, Yvonne had three job offers waiting and accepted a position with the Rural Electrification Office in Warren, where she spent eight years. When she moved to Minneapolis, she worked for a brokerage firm handling stock transfers, so she was bonded to manage unlimited amounts of money. After marrying and having her daughter, Traci, she spent 12 years as a stay-at-home mom before returning to work at Honeywell as a Cash Application Specialist. She stayed 17 years, while also working part-time at JCPenney. Yvonne loved all her jobs for one simple reason: the people.
She now lives with her daughter, Traci, and her adult grandson, both of whom work full-time, leaving Yvonne on her own for much of the day. She enjoys card games, puzzles, mysteries, and biographies. According to family lore, a relative on her late husband’s side once ran with Jesse James—ask her for the story.
A dog lover, she shares her home with Elsa, a 29-pound Sheltie, and hopes to meet a kind, humorous companion who enjoys visiting at home, especially during daytime hours on weekdays and on Saturdays.
