Altha Touzinsky's Obituary
ltha Lenore Touzinsky passed away on January 26, 2023, in Anaheim, California at the age of 100. She was born in 1922, in Minot, North Dakota. As a young woman, she lived in Brookings, South Dakota where she met and married Alva Richardson. Alva and Altha owned and operated the firm Al's Transfer and Storage in Brookings and lived near the South Dakota State University next door to Altha’s mother Helena Emly. Altha worked for Al's Transfer managing the business and packing for moving jobs. Shortly after Alva's death, Altha moved to Orange, CA. There she met and married Lawrence Touzinsky. Larry and Altha traveled to visit relatives across the United States and also traveled in Europe. They later lived in St. Louis, MI, and Tucson, AZ where they lived until Larry’s death in 2002. Altha moved to Placentia, CA where she resided until her death.
Altha is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Janet and Robert Tounzen, Linda and David Mountcastle, Margaret Hanson, and son Loren Richardson and by her 14 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, 35 great-great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-great grandchildren.
Altha is preceded in death by her mother and father, Moses Peter and Helena Emly, and her 5 siblings, Frank, Irene, Oscar, Maxine, and Margaret, and her daughter, Mary Ross, and her great-grandchildren Johnathon Schmedding, Courtney Terry, Katrina Ross, and Daxter Ross.
Altha is remembered as an amazingly loving, creative, and fun-loving woman. She was a foster mother to 34 infants and young children and adopted 1 child. She was also a 'foster mother' to scores of young men who boarded with her and Alva during their college years at South Dakota State University. She enjoyed sewing, and crocheting Afghans for all her children and grandchildren, and loved to play Scrabble, cards, and bingo with family and friends. She placed her faith in God and was an active member of her church.
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