Milo Martin Oppegaard, age 85, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 at the Christian Community Home in Hudson. Milo was born on June 22, 1938 in Albert Lea, Minn. to Evelyn D. Peterson Oppegaard and Martin R. Oppegaard. Milo attended many colleges/universities before attending Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., where he concentrated his studies on Physics and Mathematics and finished at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. It was at Augsburg that Milo met his first wife, Dawn Johnson, and started his teaching career at Clara City, Minn. In spring of 1965, Milo put in for a teaching position in Alaska, but was offered a position at Luther Collegiate in Regina, Saskatchewan. This is where he met and developed a lifelong friendship with Judy and Julian Grev. After about a year of teaching in Canada, Milo and Dawn moved back to the States to Chisago Lakes. On Sept. 17, 1966 Milo and Dawn had a baby girl, Kirsten, but on Oct. 8, there was a car accident where unfortunately Dawn and Kirsten were killed.
Fall of 1967, Milo’s sister-in-law Ardis encouraged Milo to meet Betty Lou Johnson, a nurse and parish worker at Ezekiel Lutheran. They were united in marriage on Aug. 10, 1968, in Almelund, Minn.
Milo had many hobbies, but the ones he enjoyed the most were riding his John Deere tractor, taking naps, and tinkering with something in the garage or basement. Milo also spent many years playing fiddle with the ASI Spelmanslag (Swedish fiddling group) in Minneapolis. Milo enjoyed being grandpa “papa” to Rakel and Miranda Nevzoroff-Oppegaard and Alex Rehbein as well as his “adopted” grandchildren, Ross and Deloris Nevzoroff.
Milo is preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn and Martin; first wife, Dawn; daughter, Kirsten; and brother, Paul. He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou; son, Erik (Ann Nevzoroff); daughter, Grete (Chad) Rehbein; grandchildren, Rakel and Miranda Nevoroff-Oppegaard, Ross and Deloris Nevzoroff, and Alexis Rehbein.
Memorials may be directed to the UWRF Physics department, Augsburg Physics and Mathematics department, or HOPE Lutheran Church. Please specify department when submitting electronic donations to the universities. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 at HOPE Lutheran Church (3337 Kingsbarn Ave.) in River Falls with a visitation starting at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Kinnickinnic Cemetery. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
