ELLEN M. WILHELMI

Ellen Wilhelmi, 90, Devils Lake, ND died at the home of her daughter in Bismarck, ND on November 18, 2011. Funeral Services for Ellen will be held on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Rev. Jamie Desai officiating. Burial will be in the Assumption of Mary Cemetery, rural Starkweather beside her husband. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service and Time of Remembrance at 7:30 p.m. Visitation on Wednesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Ellen Mildred Sather was born on January 1, 1921 to Norwegian immigrants, Severin and Sofie (Anderson) Sather, at the family farm northeast of Starkweather. Her education began at Royal #2 country school and continued at Starkweather High School where she graduated in 1939. After high school, Ellen worked at the Fawcett Clinic in Devils Lake until she had saved enough money to enroll at Valley City State Teachers College where she earned her teaching certificate. Ellen completed her formal education in 1970 at the age of 50 when she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of North Dakota. Her first teaching job was at St. Joe’s Country School, where she taught 32 students in 7 grades, some of whom spoke no English. After a second year of teaching at Lawton, ND, the war effort inspired her to live in Chicago and work, “typing things in triplicate” for the Sixth Service Command. Following her experience in Chicago, Ellen worked in Fargo for Western Union transcribing telegrams. In October, 1945, Ellen’s high school sweetheart, Joseph Wilhelmi, returned home from the war. They rekindled their love and were married on January 3rd, 1946 in Starkweather. The newlyweds moved to Washington DC where Ellen worked for MGM studios. Longing for home, they returned to North Dakota and eventually bought a farm north of Starkweather where they lived for 40 years. In 1957, Ellen returned to teaching at Starkweather, eventually settling in on third grade. Ellen was a patient and kind teacher who cherished each and every one of her students over a period of 28 years. Ellen and Joe moved to Devils Lake in 1988. Joe passed away in 1997. Ellen was a member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church and the Sons of Norway. Ellen was a role model for growing old gracefully, in body, mind and spirit. Up until her illness one year ago, she faithfully exercised three times a week with her friends at the School for the Deaf Swimming Pool, enjoyed Bible study and quilting with her friends at Our Saviors, and read two newspapers a day which included completing the crossword and Sudoku puzzles. Each child and grandchild has an afghan made especially for them. Ellen was a beloved Mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Ellen is survived by her children Jennifer Wilhelmi, Boise ID; Claudia Wilhelmi and Joellen (Jodi) Roller (Bob Martinson) Bismarck ND; and Peggy (Kerry) Tierney, Walla Walla WA; eight grandchildren, David (Jean) Wilhelmi, Timothy (Heather) Wilhelmi, Jana (John) Catching, Annie Wilhelmi, Matthew (Gina) Roller, Rebecca (Chris) Ripley, Thaddeus (Katherine) Tierney, and Joseph Tierney and nine great grandchildren, Joseph and Elizabeth Wilhelmi, Matthew Wilhelmi, Sam, Max, and Addison Roller, Toby, Sophia, and Brody Ripley. Sisters Anna Sather, Lillian Erickstad, Ines Tyler, Gladys (William) Provance, and brother, Gordon (Margaret) Sather also survive. Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joseph, infant son Timothy, son-in-law Joe Roller, and sister, Velma DeFrates.