Kirsten Jane (Flagstad) Werdier was born on June 11, 1940, and passed away on Aug. 6, 2025.
She was the oldest child born in Madison, Wisconsin, to Wollert “Red” Flagstad and Eleanore (Spencer) Flagstad. Arriving a couple years later was her only sibling, her brother Karsten “Bud” Flagstad, who she loved liked he was a gift for her alone. Both Kirsten and Karsten were named in honor of the Norwegian Opera singer Kirsten Flagstad (a distant cousin).
The Flagstad family had a home and owned and operated a flower shop on Winnebago Street in Madison, where the love of working with flowers and plants started for Kirsten. Webster, Wisconsin, was the vacation spot for her family; many memories were made at the cabin on County Road A where her grandson Justin and family currently reside. After graduating high school, she attended horticulture classes at the university in Madison advancing her knowledge for running her own flower shop. While visiting the family cabin in Webster, she met her future husband Ira Werdier at a local establishment where she was bartending. For a short while, Ira and Kirsten lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they welcomed their first child, Ira “Kyle,” in April of 1966 and their daughter, Karla Jane, in June of 1967. Raising the kids in Webster made the decision for the family to relocate to the Werdier homestead on Austin Lake Road easier. This is the site of the original Austin Lake Greenhouse, established in 1967.
In 1984 the business relocated to Lakeland Avenue North, Webster, where it is still operating, with her children, Kyle and Karla, as owners. The Flagstad and Austin Lake Greenhouse businesses are part of a family business going back six generations with the first one located in Norway. Her contributions of business and her wonderful personality awarded her being named “Citizen of the Year.” Kirsten found enjoyment in many things, she liked to visit with family, friends and customers, many who became very good acquaintances.
Becoming a grandma and great-grandma was a wonderful title she liked wearing. Teaching Justin and Jordan to sing “You Are My Sunshine” and “Chantilly Lace” was a special memory. She loved listening to and watching various sporting events, baseball, basketball, football GO PACK GO!, she made it to all of Jordan’s games his senior year they won conference, NASCAR was enjoyed with her young friend Nick, and she was an avid bowler participating in tournaments all over the state. Getting together with family and friends for card games and cribbage were cherished times. She got much enjoyment out of lottery tickets, scratch-offs and pull tabs! She was a gentle soul; her love for nature, wildlife, feeding the birds made a natural choice to work with flowers.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Wollert and Eleanore; her husband, Ira; very close friends and many fur babies.
Kirsten is carried on in memory with her brother, Karsten (Betty) Flagstad; her son, Ira (Christina) Werdier; daughter, Karla (Steve) Ingalls; grandchildren, Justin (Galina) Werdier and Jordan (Emilie) Werdier; great-grandchildren, Ashlyn, Emma, Alyena, Ira, Cora, Eleanore and Stella Werdier; godson, Lance Olson; honorary grandchildren, Brandon (Diana), Kayson Andren and Bryana (Tony), Parker and Bennett Nowling; and many special nephews, nieces, cousins and very good friends.
Online condolences may be expressed at swedberg-taylor.com.
