MARJORIE ANN MIKKELSON

Marjorie Ann Mikkelson, 91 of Devils Lake and Sun City, Arizona died on Friday, November 12, 2010 at Mercy Hospital. Funeral Services for Marjorie will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Devils Lake. Rev. David Birkeland will officiate and burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Monday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until time of service. Marjorie Ann was born on August 19, 1919 at Devils Lake, the daughter of Harold and Dora (Eklund) Mikkelson. She spent her younger years and elementary school years in Warwick. In 1932, the family moved to Minnewaukan and Marjorie graduated from Minnewaukan High School with the class of 1936. She attended Jamestown College and graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Commerce and Economics. Marjorie entered a Pepsi-Cola Job Contest and was chosen to serve as the secretary and later the assistant to the sales manager of Pepsi-Cola Company in Portland, Oregon from 1940 to 1950. In 1950, Marjorie moved to Washington, DC and for the next 12 years was employed as a staff analyst with Ebasco Services, Inc. an engineering,design and management consulting firm. From 1963 to 1976, Marjorie was the corporate secretary and executive assistant to the chairman of the board of directors of Kettler Brothers Inc. in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Kettler Brothers was a privately held builder, developer, property manager and general contracting firm in the metro Washington, D.C. area. In 1976, Marjorie returned to North Dakota and made her home with her sister, Dorothy and was employed as a real estate agent with Watt Realty. Starting in 1985, Marjorie and Dorothy would spend their winter months in Sun City, Arizona. Marjorie was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Devils Lake Town and Country Club, Devils Lake Board of Realtors, Pioneer Daughters and always very active in several Golf Course Associations in Arizona. Marjorie’s first love was journalism and she served as the editor of the Jamestown College newspaper. She realized that in those years, advancement in this field would be very difficult because she was a woman. Marjorie was very determined and had great aspirations as a working woman in the 60’s and 70’s. Advancing beyond simply being a secretary took hard work and dedication. She truly excelled as an employee with any company she worked for. When Marjorie finally retired, golf then became her passion. She treasured all the friends she made on the course, both here and in Arizona. She never gave up trying to master the 5th hole at the Town and Country Club and she loved the challenge of the many different courses in Arizona. Marjorie is survived by her brother Dean (Dee) Mikkelson of Oklahoma City, OK; sister Dorothy Moshier of Devils Lake; nieces and nephews, Lynn Dee Ballangar also Oklahoma City, Ray (Diane) Moshier of Little Falls, MN, Marjorie (Thore) Fossum of Poulsbo, Washington and Reed (Nikki) Moshier of Washington D.C.; several great nieces, great nephews and their families also survive. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law Jack Moshier.