Mavis Ardelle Konzak

Mavis A. Konzak, 83 of Devils Lake, ND died on Thursday, February 07, 2008 at the Heartland Care Center, Devils Lake. Mass of Christian Burial for Mavis will be held on Monday, February 18th at 3:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake. Fr. Robert Pecotte will celebrate the Mass and burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 5:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Catholic Daughters. Visitation on Monday will be in the Mother Theresa Hall of St. Joseph Catholic Church one hour prior to the funeral Mass. Serving as Casket Bearers for Mavis will be: Arnold Moen, Ted Rainesalo, Curt Bloomquist, Dirk Schwartz, Chris Hilton and Greg Konzak. Music will be provided by Paul Traynor and Patty Cote. Mavis Ardelle was born on August 11, 1924 in Cloquet, Minnesota, the daughter of Arthur C. and Myrtle S. (Olson) Anderson. She was reared and educated in Cloquet, graduating from Cloquet High School in 1942. She then attended St. Johns Nursing Cadet School in Fargo, ND and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1947. Mavis began working for the US Public Health System at St. John’s Hospital in Fargo as a nursing supervisor in orthopedics. This work also included working with polio patients and the iron lung. Mavis was united in marriage to Peter A. Konzak on June 28, 1952 at Carlton, Minnesota. They established their home in Devils Lake and in 1953 moved to their farm in the Minnewaukan area where they would live, work and raise their daughters. Due to the rising water of Devils Lake they were forced to leave the farm and move to Devils Lake in 1995. Peter died on March 14, 2002. Mavis was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Jude’s Circle and Catholic Daughters of America. She was also active in Pelican Township Homemaker’s Club and was a member of the Sweet Adelines for many years. Mavis worked along side her husband on the farm for many years and the loss of the farm to the rising water brought them both great sadness but they persevered. Mavis was a devoted wife and caring, loving and nurturing mother and grandmother. Her kind and gentle spirit were always reflected in her work and also in her singing with the Sweet Adelines. We shall miss her physical presence in our lives, but her examples of love and devotion to her faith, family and fellow human beings will be a guiding force for us all. Mavis is survived by her loving daughters, Lois Konzak of rural Devils Lake Linda Kenyon and her husband, Craig of Phoenix, Arizona Lisa Schwartz and her husband, Dirk of Denver, Colorado Grandchildren: Kyle and Lindsey Kenyon and Leah Schwartz Sister Donna O’Donnell and her husband Michael of Sacramento, California Mavis was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Peter and sister, Betty Niemi.