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Thelma Lindstrom
Our much loved mother left this earthly home on May 9, 2015. Thelma Tveito Lindstrom was born on April 17, 1919 to Sever and Signe (Benson) Tveito at the family farm in Gates Township of Eddy County southwest of Sheyenne, North Dakota. Her maternal grandmother, Tone Benson, was the midwife at her birth and at the births of her nine siblings.
Thelma didn’t have a middle name until Auntie Joyce dubbed her “Thelma Lou”! She married John Elmer Clifford Lindstrom on March 15, 1946 at the Grace Parsonage in Sheyenne. They drove to the Black Hills in a ‘46 Ford to honeymoon and encountered a snowstorm. When they celebrated their 25th anniversary in 1971, another snowstorm hit, and twenty-five people spent the night at their home. A coincidence and a great memory!
Thelma grew up through the Dirty Thirties and World War II. She had stories to tell of feeding the cows tumbleweeds in the 30s, making shocks and driving bundles to the thrashing machine. She saw three brothers and her future husband go off to World War II, and one brother to the Korean Conflict. She was the glue that held her family together when her mother passed away in 1943.
Mom could fix fence, milk cows, butcher chickens, make the best buns and dark bread in the country, play a mean game of pinochle and drive school bus. She gave unselfishly to care for her brother Jens and half-sister Anna as they aged. She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage and taught us to “love” lutefisk, lefse, sweet soup, egg gravy on homemade bread and rullepolse. Mom never missed working the crossword puzzle in the Fargo “Foolem”. Her 8th grade schooling served her well as she often completed the whole puzzle. It was only these last few years that her hands and eyes did not allow her to fill in the blanks, but she could still be relied upon to give the answers to the clues. Mom was a poet writing tributes to her siblings for life‘s milestones.
She was active in school organizations and Grace Lutheran Church as her children grew, and she was a lifetime member of VFW Auxiliary Post 3696.
She spent her entire life in Eddy County; moving from the farm just east of Sheyenne to the Heritage House in New Rockford in the fall 2008 and to the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in 2012.
Thelma is survived by her children: son, Rodney (Shirley) Lindstrom, New Rockford, ND, and their children Sarah (Brian) Nelson, Fargo, John (Rachel) Lindstrom, Devils Lake, Charlie Lindstrom, Salt Lake City , UT, daugher, Janice (Allen) Birkeland, Warwick, ND, and their children Matthew (Sirena) Birkeland, Fargo and Andrea (Scott) Hennen, Watertown, SD, son, Merlin (Cheryl) Lindstrom, Dewey, OK and their children Shane (Lisa) Lindstrom, Oklahoma City, Geri ( Kim) Gardner, Springfield, TN and Erin (Doug) Pekar, Coweta, OK, and daughter, Joleen Risovi, Maddock, ND and her children Justin (Erin) Risovi, Hillsboro, ND and Jaydin Risovi, Maddock. Her great-grandchildren are: Sam and Anna Lindstrom, Owen, Olivia and Nora Lindstrom, Riley and Rory Hennen, Karsten, Elise and Boden Gardner, Douglas Steven Pekar, Lane and Keeley Risovi and step great-grandchildren Hamoudi and Lynn Bagdadhi, her sister Ida Tedrow of Northwood, ND, brother, Ervin Tveito of Newcastle, CA and a sister-in-law Joyce Tveito of Mandan, ND. She leaves several Tveito and Lindstrom nieces and nephews who always remembered her with visits and cards and pictures on her birthday and holidays.
She is preceded in death by her husband Clifford in 1999, her granddaughter Kaitlyn Risovi in 2001, her parents, brothers: Ted, Art, Pete, Ben, Sam, Jens, Gehard, half-brothers: Ivar, Bert, Mike, Lewis, and half-sisters Sena and Anna Tveito.
PRAYER SERVICE: Monday at 7PM, Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd Chapel, New Rockford FUNERAL SERVICE: Grace Lutheran Church, Sheyenne, ND DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 10:30AM BURIAL: Riverside Cemetery, Sheyenne, ND |
Posted Condolences:
(Scroll down to send a condolence)
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Name: Joelyn (Bymoen) Scriba
Date: 5/13/15
Message: My condolences in the passing of Thelma. Regardless of age and circumstances, the loss of a parent remains significant. Thelma worked hard and gave much in her lifetime.
In Sympathy,
Joelyn Scriba
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Name: Audrey Myklebust
Date: 5-12-15
Message: Merle, Cheryl, Jan and families, My deepest sympathy on the loss of your mother. From her obituary, it sounds like she lead a full life and was a wonderful mother/wife and a very hard worker! May she rest in peace with her beloved husband.
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Name: Deanna Erickson
Date: May 12, 2015
Message: I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with the Lindstrom family during this time.
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Name: Dr. LeRoy & Carol Tesch
Date: May 11, 2015
Message: Our deepest sympathy to your family. May you always cherish the wonderful memories & special times you shared together. As it says in Proverbs 10:7 "The memory of the righteous will be a blessing..."
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Name: Elva Topp
Date: 5/11/15
Message: As I read your Mom's obituary, I thought of all the happy memories you must have. I hope that helps this sad time. Thinking of you.
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Name: Conni (Dungan) Fugleberg
Date: 5/11/20015
Message: To the entire family of Thelma: I was so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Thelma was one of the sweetest women I had ever known.
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Name: Nancy Lilleberg
Date: 5/11/15
Message: Jan, I'm so sorry to read about your mother's passing. If I was back in MN I would come to the funeral but I'm still in AZ. My prayers are with you and your family. I'll call you when I'm in MN.
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Name: Susan King
Message: Another angel in heaven!
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Name: Larry Munson
Date: 5/11/15
Message: Rod and family....Sorry to hear of your Mother passing. Praying for His blessings on all of you. I would like to share a poem I wrote on Mothers Day in 2003....
MAMA CARED
When I think back of childhood days,
I think of Mama's gentle ways.
Mama with her light brown hair,
Always showed me that she cared.
Every day her love she'd show,
Knowing that would make me grow.
Her loving ways she always shared,
I always felt that Mama cared.
If I was sad and feeling blue,
Mama knew just what to do.
She'd understand my deep despair,
It always helped me 'cause she cared.
As I grew up and wondered why
Life would sometimes make me sigh,
I'd think of Mama standing there,
And get the feeling she still cared.
I know she'd tell me it's alright,
That God will guide me with His light.
Have faith in Him and say a prayer,
Those words she'd say, for Mama cared.
When day is done, and sunsets near,
I know that I shall have no fear.
I know I'm blessed for having shared
My life with Mama 'cause she cared.
Written on Mothers Day 2003
By Larry Munson
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Name: Dawn T
Date: 5/10/15
Message: I am sorry for your loss. I will miss her so much. I loved listening to her stories and she always made me smile. She was such a sweetheart and I am happy that she is in a much better place. She will be missed by much of the staff at LHGS.