These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
April 21, 2024
We’re so lucky in this day and age to have access to vaccines to prevent polio. It wasn’t always
that way, though.
In September of 1943, eighty years ago, a little girl from Stafford died from Polio. There was a
brief story in the Roseau Times-Region telling her story, which I’ll read to you now.
Infantile paralysis caused the death of Jean LaMae, eleven-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Elvin Hedlund of Stafford Monday morning. She had been in school Friday. Saturday she was ill
and the doctor diagnosed the ailment as polio. It affected the nerves controlling respiration.
The patient was taken to Duluth Sunday evening in the ambulance by Carl Listug after first being
assured that the little one could be placed in an iron lung in hopes that her life might be saved.
Accompanying her were her parents and her aunt, Mrs. Wayne (Christine Hedlund) Salo, R. N.
The little one died as they entered Duluth. Death came at 6 o’clock.
Private funeral will be held at the Hedlund home this afternoon, Thursday, and burial will be
made in Stafford cemetery. Rev. E. J. Lindholm will conduct the service.
Jean LaMae was born July 23, 1932. Besides her parents, she is mourned by two sisters, Doris
and Shirley and Grandmas Hedlund and Sillerud, other relatives and many friends.
In that same issue of the Times-Region, another column tells of a memorial fund that was
started.
Following the death of little Jean LaMae Hedlund, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Hedlund of
Stafford, a movement was started towards securing an iron lung that would be easily accessible
to people of the county in case of need.
The movement was born when Mrs. Emil Hedlund this week deposited $50 in cash with A. H.
Fikkan, county Red Cross chairman, as a foundation for other funds to be used in buying an iron
lung for use in the county.
Mr. Fikkan accepted the money as temporary secretary until such a time as an organization or
committee Is formed to handle the fund. Grandma Hedlund gave the money in memory of her
granddaughter, Jean LaMae. The fund will be known as the Jean Hedlund Memorial Fund.
Yesterday the fund got a substantial addition form the Nelson Chevrolet Company. The
management an help pledged another $50 for the purpose.
Jean Hedlund died from polio which affected the respiratory functions of her body. An attempt
was made to get her to an iron lung in a Duluth Hospital, but she died just as they reached
Duluth.
Her life may have been saved had the iron lung been available here. It is an IF, but it may also
come to others. One life that can be saved is worth much.
An iron lung is expensive, but not more than can be financed if people in the county will
contribute to it.
Mr. Fikkan reported last evening that the sum of $261.00 had been received.
Just 2 weeks later the newspaper of October 7, 1943, said this:
“Total of voluntary contributions to the Jean Hedlund Memorial Fund for the purchase of an iron
lung for the county are coming in daily, reports A. H. Fikkan, who is acting as temporary
treasurer. It is expected that a local sponsoring agency will take over the handling of the fund,
administering the collections and taking the necessary steps to bring about the goal of the fund.
Roseau County people are given a warning in connection with this fund. It is the desire of those
who started it and of the friends that no outside-county agency or group shall come in and make
solicitations for things on pretext that the Jean Hedlund Fund is to be benefited. If you are
interested in providing this equipment for this county, make the donation to the fund direct to the
acting treasurer, or to the permanent treasurer when he or she shall be chosen.
Up to noon yesterday the total received was $371. Acknowledging the receipts up to that hour
Mr. Fikkan listed the contributions.“
Jean had two little sisters when she died. One was Shirley, who became Shirley Grahn Staples,
and the other was Doris, who became Doris Oseid.
The Hedlunds farmed in Stafford Township, near the farm where Elvin’s parents Bertha and Emil
Hedlund had farmed. Mrs. Hedlund had been born Stella Sillerud, daughter of Carl and Emelia
Sillerud of Moose Township. Carl was a carpenter in Badger. When Elvin and Stella were
married, they built a dairy herd on their own farm, starting with two cows and two heifers, and
also grew small grains and grass seeds.
They were both active in the county, serving on community and church boards. Elvin also served
as a county commissioner from 1941 to 1948. Stella was a teacher for many years, and was the
county chairman for the Sister Kenny Foundation. They had moved into Roseau before they
died, Stella in 1984 and Elvin in 1991.
Thank you to 
(www.roseauonline.com) for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.