Mildred Lindgren
May 25, 1935 ~ January 19, 2018
Mildred (Milly) Lindgren 82 passed away Friday January 19th at Essentia Hospital, Fargo N.D. surrounded by her family and pastors.
Milly was born May 25, 1935 at Pickert N.D. the daughter of John and Beatrice Sund. She grew up on the family farm and attended the Pickert School until the 8th grade when she attended high school in Finley N.D. where she graduated as valedictorian of her class. She attended Mayville State Teacher's College and received a teaching degree.
Milly was united in marriage to Wallace (Wally) Lindgren at St. Petri Church in Pickert N.D. June 12, 1954, they made their home on their farmstead in Gardner N.D. where they lived for 61 years. They spent 18 years being "Snow Birds" going to Florida in the winter months and connected with many new people and experiences there. In 2015 they came back to N.D. permanently and they moved into Touchmark in Fargo late in 2015.
Milly was an active member of the Nora Lutheran Church-she taught Sunday School for many years and was responsible for keeping it going for a long time. She was highly involved in her community and was the first person to show up when help was needed. She opened her home and heart to many including inviting a young Swedish relative (Per Jonsson) to come and spend a year as an exchange student. Frida Tomito came from Tanzania and attended Concordia College. She has many unrelated nieces, nephews and grandchildren who fondly remember spending time in her kitchen sampling her famous homemade buns and chocolate chip cookies. She was a loving and a special lady to everyone who had the privilege to know her.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years Wallace (Wally) Lindgren Fargo N.D. A daughter Sonja (Roger) Meline Hendrum Mn. Her grandchildren Jason (Jennifer) Eli Great Falls Mt. Gina Eli Great Falls Mt. Joshua (Diana) Eli Stockett Mt.. Step grandchildren, Sheryl (Jerry) Krauth Moorhead Mn. James (Heidi) Meline Fargo, N.D. Her Great grand children, Marc Reed, Brigid Eli, Dominick Eli, Joe Elam, Robert Dormady, Jimmy Eli, Katelynn Eli. Her step great grandchildren, Noah Meline, Clara Meline, Abigail Krauth, Evan Krauth, Ethan Krauth. Her sisters, Joan (Earl) Anderson Andover Mn. Edna (Walter) Sargent St Petersburg Fla.. Plus many special nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Beatrice Sund, a brother John (Jack) Sund, a sister in law Martha Sund, a brother in law Willis Lindgren, and a brother in law Walter Sargent.
There will be a visitation with a family service at Boulger Funeral home at 123 10th St. S in Fargo, January 25th from 5-7 with a service at 6:30. Her funeral will be at Nora Lutheran Church by Gardner N.D. at 2 pm on January 26th.
She will be interred at the Nora Lutheran Church cemetery immediately after the church service.
A special thank you to all who have supported us in our grief and we are grateful to the Essentia ICU staff who were so kind and wonderful with caring for her in the last few hours of her life.
Family requests memorials to go to the Nora Cemetery Fund or to a charity of your choice.
Dear Wally, Sonia, Roger and family. My love and prayers are with all of you on the death of dear Milly, she was a good friend for many years and will be missed by all who were privileged to call her a friend.
Milly will be missed deeply her tender smile her being grandma too all her caring heart rip grandma milly we all love you
Riley evra Kyler Ryan veronica Sammy shawnda
sorry to hear of Millie’s death gotten to know here very well in the past few yrs after Mark moved here. she was a wonderful lady just talked to her on the phone before Christmas she said she felt good and was in good spirits and active in a # of activities, will miss those phone conversations I had with her over the years you will be in my prayers, and I hope to get up to the funeral next wk.
I was saddened to learn of Millie’s passing; I have many fond memories of this strong, vibrant woman who always greeted people with a smile, recognized their accomplishments and listened to their struggles. A real leader at Nora and a role model worth emulating, Millie carried out countless acts of kindness and reminded us all of the power of a generous spirit and a kind heart. When I was growing up, Millie gave me, and so many other kids at Nora, the attention, respect and support that all kids benefit from, especially in their adolescence. One of my most special memories occurred when I was back on the farm to help mom and dad after one of the many floods. Wally, Willy and Milly arrived at the farm. Milly said “We came to work. Tell us what you want done.” Her greeting, along with that broad smile and unbounded energy, said it all. Always there for others, Millie was a treasure that many of us will hold in our hearts forever.
Sonja, so sorry to hear about your mom. She has now joined Uncle Willy. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing all the people that are thinking of you, Wally and Roger. I, personally, can smile thinking of all her good cooking, baking and hearty laugh. Her forgotten chicken and yummy lemon dessert are my favorites and I think of her and good times and old friends whenever I make them. I would have loved to join your Nora Christmas baking day…that must have made her so proud…for you to carry on those baking “talents” and fun church kitchen memories. Memories, friends and recipes are forever. Take care!
Dear Sonja and Wally,
My heart goes out to you. Milly was such a joy – as a kid tooling around the country roads on my bike – she could always be counted on for a glass of milk, cookies and good, sound advice. Always a smile and a hug – she’ll be missed.
I am so sorry to hear about Milly, she was one of the best people a person could ever have met,
always made you feel loved! I will miss her & was lucky enough to have known her!!!! A very special person indeed!
So sorry for you loss! Millie was one of my favorite customers at Melberg’s in Moorhead. She always brightened my day with her smile and interest in everything around her.
Prayers to the family. We have special memories of Milly and her great hospitality when we visited with my Dad, George Bjorgan. She really enjoyed life and everyone around her. Take care, Wally and Sonja.
Dear friends, my sincere sympathy in the passing of Millie, I got to be a friend of hers thru Rhoda, she was such a wonderful lady, when we, Westervalls, Andersen’s, Boeder’s all came to Nora Church to enjoy the lutefisk, we saw Millie working her little heart out helping with that huge meal going on and on for hundreds of people…..Bless her memory, she was a gem…..
Milly was one of my favorite customers, always interested in everyone and everything- she will be greatly missed by many! God bless you all. Kathy Larson
Our sympathy to the family for your loss. Millie was one special lady and always willing to help others. She will be missed .Our prayers and thoughts to the family
Orville/Beverly.
Wally, Sonja, Roger and family.
We are sorry for the passing of Millie.God grant you peace.
Dear Soni and Wally,
Our cousin Phil Grage called us with the news about Milly, and my sisters, our aunt Jackie Grage and I want to express our condolences.
I have many great memories of visiting your place when we spent time on my grandparents Lou and Grace Grage’s farm during the summer. Something that is still vivid for me is the time we saw a baby fawn in your barn. I was eight years old. It licked my palm — an amazing experience — and Wally said that was because it liked the salt on my skin. Then he said the fawn’s mom was looking for it, so he was going to release it. This was my first experience with a wild animal.
My mother Verna Grage is in Spirit now, but she would want me to tell you she spoke many, many times over the years about Milly coming to my grandparents Lou and Grace’s house the day my grandmother died in July 1967. “When Dad found Mother unconscious, he called Milly and she came over right away. Wally went up to the highway to watch for the ambulance, and show them the way to the farm. Milly put coffee on while she and Dad waited in the house. That’s how good neighbors do things in North Dakota, and Milly and Wally are good neighbors.”
Thank you so much for the beautiful video tribute. It was deeply moving. Milly and Wally look fabulous — what great smiles you both have.
Lauren Brockway and Kathleen Brockway, Megan Brockway Herdendorf and Jackie Grage Bankston
I am so sorry to hear about Milly’s passing.
My name is Eunice Paaverud, Alvin was my husband and Milly’s Cousin. They went to school together in Pickert and Finley and lived across the road from each other.
So sorry.
I am sorry to hear of Millie’s passing. I remember her from the summers I spent at my grandfather’s farm (Lou & Grace Grage) when we would come to her home to play with Sonja. I remember Millie for her fabulous smile – I don’t think she was ever without it!