Stella G. Tutt was born August 14, 1920 to John and Celia (Likness) Erickson in Ellsborough Township near Balaton, Minnesota. She grew up on the family farm and attended District 45 country school. After graduating from Ruthton High School in 1938 she attended one year at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. On July 2, 1941, Stella married John D. Tutt, Jr. in the parsonage of Skandia Evangelical Free Church, rural Balaton. Their union was blessed with 13 children and 71 years of marriage. She and John farmed and raised their children in Ellsborough Township until retiring to Marshall, Minnesota in 1980. In 1995 they moved to Balaton. John died in 2012. Stella moved to the Sunrise Manor in Tyler, Minnesota in the winter of 2017. She continued to live there until her passing on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at the age of 99 years, 9 months, and 26 days.
Stella gave her heart to the Lord when she was 12 years old. She shared the love of Jesus with her children, leading many of them to know Jesus as their personal savior. She continued to pray for her children and descendants her entire life. She was a member of Skandia Evangelical Free Church where she served as a deaconess, sang in the choir and taught Sunday school. She sang at many funerals and weddings as well as singing on the church broadcast from Marshall on Saturday evenings. Later in life she hosted Bible studies at her home. She was an active 4-H leader while their children were attending. Stella was the queen of hospitality, she loved having people into her home, feeding them and playing board and card games together. She reached out to her family, church people, missionaries and neighbors.
Stella is lovingly remembered by her children, Judy Petersen of Maple Grove, MN, Jim (Jayne) Tutt of San Diego, CA, JoAnne (Dave) Harthan of Champlin, MN, Jerry (Wanda) Tutt of Brooklyn Park, MN, J. Daniel (Julie) Tutt of Otsego, MN, Jeanne (Irvin) Goldenberg of Minneapolis, MN, Joel (Kathy) Tutt of Balaton, MN, Jeff (Diana) Tutt of Billings, MT, Jay Tutt of Maple Plain , MN, Jill (Mike) Eisner of Salinas, CA, and Scot (Darrelynn) Tutt of Sioux Falls, SD; 39 grandchildren and spouses; 72 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; son, Jack at age 6; daughter, J. Dawn (Don) Fontaine; two grandsons, Jeremy Tutt and John Harthan; her parents; her brothers, Carleton (Leone), Clifford (Florence), Reuben (Gladys), and Ronald (LaVonne) Erickson; and her sisters, Cora (Martin) Gravley and Ruth (Chuck) Ryan.
Memorials will be directed by the family to Samaritan’s Purse.
