Edward Allen Tervola was born July 16, 1939, the son of Martha Ida Puranen Tervola and Richard Olaf Tervola in Wadena, Ottertail County, Minnesota. Dad was very proud of his Finnish ancestry as his Great-Grandfather came to America from Tervola, Finland in the early 1800’s. Dad was raised on the family farm in Henning, Minnesota. As a little boy, dad had the duty of taking care of the chickens. Dad was looking in the Sears and Roebuck Catalog and spotted a 22 rifle that he wanted. His father told him to make some money. “Al” trapped a lot of gophers and rabbits – as well as picking up bottles in ditches. He made enough money to purchase that rifle which is still in our family today. When he was five years old his uncle, Matt gave him a pinch of Copenhagen Snuff and Al was hooked.
Dad loved to fish and hunt with his dad and brothers. His parents also owned 113 acres of prime land at Leaf Lake in Minnesota with many great memories of the delicious berries that grew there. As he grew older, he started milking cows and working the fields. Dad attended country school in Henning from the first to eighth grade. He started his freshman year at Henning High School but had to quit when his father had a stroke. His older brothers had left the farm to join the armed forces so he was the one left to take over the farm work with his little sister. Al wanted to join the U.S. Army but he couldn’t pass the hearing test. He had contracted mumps and damaged his ears in his youth.
He was reading the Henning Harold Newspaper and found that a farmer was looking for a good farm hand in Plentywood, Montana. At the age of 20 he told his mom “I’m going to the big blue skies of Montana!” So, he had his mom sell the farm. He took his $70 paycheck and his ‘57 Chevy and he left for Montana. On his way he was amazed at seeing strip farming. He arrived safely to Plentywood. He went to a café and a really nice waitress asked him what he was doing way over here. He told her he was going to work for a farmer and hadn’t met him yet. She told him “You don’t want to work for him! He treats his help poorly. That’s why he advertised out of state!” Dad took her advice and headed south. He stopped in Froid, Montana, at the elevator and asked “Anyone around here need a good farm hand?” They said ‘you bet, go see Clinton Lamar at the Schnitzler Corporation in Homestead’. Dad was a bit appalled at the disarray of the place when he arrived. He hit it off good with Clinton and began working. He lived in a little bunkhouse about seven miles from Homestead. Within a few months he made the place look like someone lives here! Dad was raised to keep your property pristine. He was getting a bit homesick and went back to Minnesota to visit. He met the love of his life, Donna Mae Moske, at a basketball game there. Al had to return to Montana so they wrote to each other and fell in love. Dad decided to head back to Minnesota and Clinton promised him a job any time. Mom and dad were married in December 1963. Dad worked on a turkey farm for a while and didn’t care for it. He told his bride that he wanted to go back to Montana, so off they went back to Homestead, Montana. He said to mom that ‘this is God’s country – good fishing and hunting!’ Dad said that the winter of 1964 had the wind chills down to the -40’s. They were having a hard time staying warm so he told mom to hook up the garden hose to the kitchen sink. Out the window it went and began to soak the house down. It froze in minutes and they then had a warm house. He told mom, “That’s how a Finlander does it.”
His family was growing and he was ready for a change. Dad started to work for the Peavey Company on February 2, 1966. They lived at the B&F Motel in Wolf Point, MT. Dad would walk to work – a ‘hop, skip, and a jump to get there’ he’d say. He always said that Ed Sasson was the best boss he’d ever had. He became very good friends with Georgie Marmon and her family as she was the head secretary at Peavey. He also became very good friends with Don Neumiller and Earl Fyfe. At the B&F he met Kay and Mina Clemow, and Ben, Eugene, and Linda Iwen. They became very good friends. Kay and Gene took dad to Fort Peck Lake – that was all it took. He bought his little boat from his brother-in-law back in Minnesota and their many fishing trips began. They moved out of the B&F and putchased their home at 601 4 th Avenue South in Wolf Point in March of 1971. Al loved his new home and property as it reminded him of Minnesota. Dad took great joy and pride with the care of his lawn and garden. “No weeds on my yard!” he’d say. He even sprayed all the neighbor’s lawns so their weeds wouldn’t get into his!
Dad met Neil and Reuben Berg at the elevator and they hit it off as they were from Minnesota, too. They were a great influence to my dad. Dad became very good friends with Larry and Janice Davis as well as with Bob and Betty Kluth. Many hunting trips south of the river took place on their places. Many holidays were spent together with their families. After a good day of hunting, dad would take his “brush walkers” to Harry’s bar for a good meal. That’s where he met Karen, and Earl Babcock who became a new fishing a hunting buddy.
Mom and dad divorced in 1976 but remained good friends. Al got custody of his three kids. Money was tight but he always saved enough money for our weekend getaway to the lake to go fish and take his kids hunting. While dad was working at Peavey, he met Laudie Kadrmus and they began to start painting together on weekends and evenings. Dad quit the Peavey Elevator in 1980 and started Tervola Painting. Dad painted many farms and homes within a 100-mile radius. He got to know more people whom he became good friends with – too many to name.
When the oil boom started dad went to North Dakota and contracted out with Harvey Tyler at Atco Drilling. The oil boom was slowing down so dad came back home. He painted almost every business in Wolf Point. Al got a call from Harvey in 1987 who asked dad if he would go over to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area in Western Montana to cut down three acres of timber. Dad did it all on his own.
Dad enjoyed taking his kids to Nelson Reservoir for ice fishing. He loved perch as it called it his popcorn. Al always let us kids take a friend along so we could go swimming at Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs. Dad became good friends with Frank and Mertz Marottek and would park his camper by their cabin at Nelson. There were so many fishing stories to tell – and they are all true!
On September 20, 1987, his grandson DJ was born. DJ was Al’s pride and joy. He cherished his grandson and taught him how to drive, hunt, fish, and how to plant a garden. Dad took his grandson back to Minnesota to fish, to visit family and to help wherever he was needed on the Hemquist farm.
We did a lot of canning out of dad’s garden. He wouldn’t let us take it to the farmer’s market an make some money. He’d say “The good Lord gave it to us and now it’s time to share the spoils with people who appreciate it!”
Dad contracted with Sansaver Construction in the 90’s and painted many tribal homes. Curt Azure was his right-hand man and loved him like a son. Ross, Noel, and Jeff Sansaver were very special to dad and he considered him his little brothers. When painting was slow in the fall and winter he’d go out and help Bill Smith with his cattle down at cow camp. He really enjoyed that as it brought back many memories of the farm in Minnesota.
Dad had a very special bond with his son-in-law, William. They were very close and Al was the best man in our wedding. They did everything together when time allowed.
Dad loved to have coffee with his buddies at Stockman’s Café and at the Sherman Inn. On September 26, 2012, he had his first stroke. He snapped out of it but his painting days were over. He was getting ready to draw his social security and Lori contacted the court house in Wadena, Minnesota. He actually knew the lady we talked to! She told us that his official name was ‘Baby Boy’ Tervola as his folks forgot to go back and amend his birth certificate. Dad got a kick out of that.
Al had many fish fries with his daughter in their homes, Stockman’s Bar, and at Dad’s Bar. We had many fish and we wanted to do it to thank all of the people who patronized our businesses. Dad would help anyone in need. He had the gift of gab! Clairanne Garield nicknamed him “Talko” and it stuck.
On February 19, 2019, dad had his second stroke. He then went to the Faith Home in Wolf Point. Al acclimated well as he enjoyed the company of the people he knew there. Dad had his third stroke in July 2020 and snapped out of that one too. In September 2020 dad contracted the coronavirus and beat that too! Dad had his fourth stroke this last fall. He said he was ready to go home with the Lord.
Edward Allen Tervola was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Dad went peacefully to Jesus. He is survived by his children, Timothy Paul Tervola of Billings, MT, Jerry Allen Tervola of Billings, MT, and Lori Mae Tervola-Berger (William) of Wolf Point, MT; his siblings, Richard Tervola of New York Mills, MN, and Cathy Smith (Gary) of Brainerd, MN; grandsons, DJ Allen Redstone (Brooke) of Vida, MT and Terrill Berger (Marly) of Missoula, MT; granddaughter, Tara Taylor (Christian) of Bismarck, ND; great-grandchildren, Brantley, Brynelle, Lexis, Rosallina, Catallina, Barrett, Shaelyn, Priseis, Laucous, Amelia, and Isabele as well as many nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his mother and father, his siblings William Tervola, Ethel Tervola-Gribbon and the love of his life, Donna Mae Moske-Tervola.
Viewing will be held from 4 p.m. until 6p.m. on Thursday, February 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 5 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery following the service. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no luncheon will take place. Masks will be provided and social distancing will be followed. Condolences may be sent to the family at 601 7 th Ave South, Wolf Point, MT. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.
A video of Al’s services will be available to view here after they are complete.
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