DOROTHY MAE ERICKSTAD

Dorothy M. Erickstad, 93, of Devils Lake, ND, passed away at her home on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 surrounded by her loving family. A Celebration of Life for Dorothy will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Bergen Lutheran Church, Starkweather, with Reverend Robert Buechler officiating. Dorothy will be laid to rest in the Trinity Bergen Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday afternoon, with the family present from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Visitation on Saturday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Memorials may be directed to the charity of the donor’s choice. Dorothy Mae Clute was born Sept 22, 1921 at Hamar, ND. She was the middle child of Stuart B. and Olga Hatlestad Clute, She attended Hamar Public school. The summer of ’37, she decided it would be fun to go and live with her Aunt and Uncle in Iowa. She boarded the bus and headed to Dyke Iowa and spent her junior year there. Dorothy returned to Hamar and graduated from high school in 1939. She attended Mercy School of Nursing in Devils Lake, ND graduating in 1942. It was while she was here that she first met Ralph on a blind date, set up by one of her nursing friends, Signe. After graduating from nurses training, she worked for a time at the Indian Hospital in Fort Totten, ND. She and Signe felt the call for adventure, and took the train to Seattle, where they found jobs working for Boeing making Bombay harnesses. Later, she went to Escondido, CA with her parents and younger sister, and worked at the hospital there. While in Escondido, she received a ring in the mail from her sweetheart, Ralph; so she returned to Devils Lake and resumed her job at Fort Totten. Ralph and Dorothy eloped on June 12, 1944 and were married in the Lutheran parsonage at Grand Forks, ND. Dorothy and Ralph lived and farmed near Garske ND nearly 40 years, before building their dream home near the shores of Devils Lake. She worked hard as a farm wife- gardening, canning, baking delicious buns, and raising her 7 precious children. She loved to host “parties” with lots of company, good conversation and good food. She was a friend to everyone she met, and took a genuine interest in their lives. She was an active member of Trinity-Bergen Lutheran church in Starkweather, WELCA and was a Sunday school teacher for many years. Ralph passed away Nov 5, 2003. Dorothy spent the last 12 years of her life living in Heartland Court Assisted Living, DL. She called it home, and loved her neighbors and the wonderful staff that helped her. Dorothy knew and loved her Lord and Savior and went peacefully home to Him. Dorothy’s loving family include her children David R. Erickstad of Starkweather, Carol (Dennis) Martin of Hawley, MN, Linda Marman of Beach, ND, Susan (Doug) Lee of Grand Forks, Mark S. (Jackie) Erickstad, Bismarck, and Brian (Roxane) Erickstad, Horace, ND; grandchildren Chad Erickstad, Shawn (Marta) Erickstad-Todd (Julie) Martin, Sam Martin-Luke (Maria) Marman, Joshua Marman, Jessica Marman-Melissa (John) Fox, Darin Lee-Abby Erickstad, Jacob Erickstad, Gracie Erickstad and Ella Erickstad; thirteen great grandchildren; brother Donald (Charlene) Clute, Wahpeton; sister Bette (Monroe) Tweed, Tolna; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Violet Stedman, Seattle, WA and Lois Jacobsen, Ardmore, OK and William Biggerstaff also of Ardmore; nieces, nephews and cousins by the dozens. She was preceded in death by her parents Stuart and Olga; husband Ralph, beloved son Stuart, sister Florence Myhre and brother Charles Clute. BEST MOM EVER!