Dr. Keith V. Wold, DVM, 67, of Wilton and formerly of Mabel, Minn., died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, at the Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse.
Keith was born Feb. 22, 1942, in Caledonia, Minn., to Glennis and Sigrid (Engen) Wold. He was baptized and confirmed at Mabel First Lutheran Church and graduated from the Mabel High School in 1960. He attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and then the University of Minnesota, where he received his Bachelor of Science and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1966. On Sept. 7, 1963, he was united in marriage to Kathleen “Kay” M. Tou in Princeton, Minn. He was an owner or partner in several practices, including Grand Meadow, Minn., from 1966 to 1970; Lewiston, Minn., from 1970 to 1976; Zumbrota, Minn., from 1977 to 1994; Lanesboro and Preston, Minn., from 1994 to 1999; and then Dyersville, Farley and Holy Cross, Iowa, until he retired in 2001. They lived in Corwith, Iowa, from 2003 until 2008 and currently live in Wilton, where Kay is the pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Keith was a strong advocate for land conservation and sustainable farming. He supported several organizations, including The Land Institute, Soujourners, Commonweal Theatre, Good Earth Village and ARC Retreat Center.
Keith and Kay took a trip to Tanzania in 2005 with a group from the Western Iowa Synod to help dedicate a girls’ school and to begin work on establishing the Center for Agricultural Development. Keith also enjoyed canoeing, traveling, theatre, baking bread, weaving rugs, playing the trombone and woodworking.
Keith is survived by his wife, Kay of Wilton; three children, Kirsten (Mark) Anderson of Spring Valley, Minn., Sarah (John) Edstrom of Red Wing, Minn., and Peter (Beth) Kaseman-Wold of Madison; eight grandchildren, David, Katherine, Aaron, Benjamin, Nathan, Hannah, Miles and Ella; his father, Glennis of Mabel; his mother-in-law, Marjorie Tou of Princeton, Wis.; three siblings, Julianne (Noel) Allen of San Diego, Nina (Ruggero) Tortelli of Sarasota, Fla., and Beau (Gayle Kleppe) Wold of Eleva, Wis.; two brothers-in law, Allan (Cathy) Tou and Steve (Teri) Tou, both of Princeton; and a sister-in-law, Mary (Mitch) Heyn of Princeton. He was preceded in death by his mother, Sigrid, and an infant daughter.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at Mabel First Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Gail Klavetter and Bishop James Arends officiating. Visitation will be from 4–7 p.m. Friday at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel, Minn., and one hour prior to services at the church. The family prefers memorials to the Western Iowa Synod Center for Agricultural Development in Tanzania, The Land Institute in Salina, Kan., Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, Minn., or the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.
