Derva Minear

Derva Minear, age 103, of Columbia Heights, MN, passed away Mar. 23, 2019 at Crest View Lutheran Home. She was born May 24, 1915 on the family farm near Emmons, MN. Preceded in death by husband, Eugene W. Minear; parents, Ella Tveite Zuelke and Edwin Zuelke. Derva worked as a nurse’s aid at North Memorial Hospital in the 50’s. She then decided to go back to school for nurses training and became a Licensed Practical Nurse in the early 60’s.  She worked at Swedish Hospital in downtown Minneapolis for many years. After retirement Derva and Gene looked forward to doing more traveling and enjoyed winters in the Rio Grand Valley until Gene’s health started to fail and they could no longer travel. Over the years Derva and her husband opened their home and hosted many guests. Among those were countless members of their extended family, foreign nationals on study programs, refuges from Eastern Europe, several Luther Seminary students and friends of other family members. The relationships they formed with their visitors brought great joy to them through the years. As a life time crafter, Derva was a long time member of quilting groups, first at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Minneapolis and later at St. Philips Lutheran Church in Fridley. You could find many quilts not only in the homes of family members but also around the world that Derva helped to make, all of which brought warmth and love to those that used them. Derva is survived by foster son, Allan (Jane) Tveite; son, Spencer (Gay) Minear; grandsons, Jon (Lynn Cockett) Tveite and Lynn’s daughter, Hannah White, Joel (Lisa) Tveite and their sons, Trevor and Peter, Coey (Amy) Minear and their daughters, Marlaina and Geneva. Memorials preferred to St. Philip’s Quilters Group & Luther Seminary.