Elizabeth Iken

 Elizabeth (Libby) Welsh Iken was born November 2, 1917 in Webster City, Iowa, the daughter of Maurice and Mary McNeish Welsh.

She moved to Fargo, ND in 1921 where she lived most of her life. She attended St. Mary's Grade School, Sacred Heart Academy and North Dakota State University. She married Lyle R. lken on Christmas Eve in 1942 in Lubbock, Texas. They had four children: Donald, Margaret, James and Mary.

Libby held several jobs including secretary and book keeper at the Hanna, Clay & Lancaster Clinic and Northern State Power Company, secretary to the Trial Judge Advocate for the Air Force in Garden City, KS, owner/operator of a diner in Christine, ND and Libby's Hickory House in Fargo, and worked as secretary for the Agricultural Engineering Department at NDSU from 1960 until her retirement in 1978. She was a volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and served as sacristan at daily mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Libby was an accomplished painter and quilter. She quilted, crocheted and knitted many items for gifts. She made a christening dress, all hand sewn with French seaming, in 1944 that has been passed down through the family for many christenings. Libby was especially fond of the color red and pink and was known to some by the nickname “Pink Lady”. She also loved roses.   

In 2004 Libby moved to Riverview Senior Community in Fargo. Then in 2006, she moved to Perham to be closer to her daughter Mary. She lived in Briarwood Senior Community, where she kept busy with bingo, exercising and attending mass. She recently moved into Perham Living, where she passed away on December 22, 2012.

Libby was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle, one son, Donald, and five brothers and five sisters.

She is survived by three children:  Margaret Witz, College Station, TX, James( Cynthia) Iken, Alamogordo, NM and Mary (Paul) Kloster, Perham, MN, five grandchildren:  Sean (Catherine) Witz, Blue Grass, IA, Megan Artaza and Ryan (Shannon) Witz, Houston, TX, Marc Kloster, Silverton, CO and Katie Kloster, Aspen, CO, five great-grandchildren : Ashley Artaza, Richard Witz, Charlotte, Madeline and Nellie Witz and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express thanks to the staff and residents of Briarwood and Perham Living. We appreciate the love extended to our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother by everyone.

Elizabeth (Libby) Welsh Iken was born November 2, 1917 in Webster City, Iowa, the daughter of Maurice and Mary McNeish Welsh. She moved to Fargo, ND in 1921 where she lived most of her life. She attended St. Mary's Grade School, Sacred Heart Academy and North Dakota State University. She married Lyle R. lken on Christmas Eve in 1942 in Lubbock, Texas. They had four children: Donald, Margaret, James and Mary.

Libby held several jobs including secretary and book keeper at the Hanna, Clay & Lancaster Clinic and Northern State Power Company, secretary to the Trial Judge Advocate for the Air Force in Garden City, KS, owner/operator of a diner in Christine, ND and Libby's Hickory House in Fargo, and worked as secretary for the Agricultural Engineering Department at NDSU from 1960 until her retirement in 1978. She was a volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and served as sacristan at daily mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Libby was an accomplished painter and quilter. She quilted, crocheted and knitted many items for gifts. She made a christening dress, all hand sewn with French seaming, in 1944 that has been passed down through the family for many christenings. Libby was especially fond of the color red and pink and was known to some by the nickname “Pink Lady”. She also loved roses.   

In 2004 Libby moved to Riverview Senior Community in Fargo. Then in 2006, she moved to Perham to be closer to her daughter Mary. She lived in Briarwood Senior Community, where she kept busy with bingo, exercising and attending mass. She recently moved into Perham Living, where she passed away on December 22, 2012.

Libby was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle, one son, Donald, and five brothers and five sisters.

She is survived by three children:  Margaret Witz, College Station, TX, James( Cynthia) Iken, Alamogordo, NM and Mary (Paul) Kloster, Perham, MN, five grandchildren:  Sean (Catherine) Witz, Blue Grass, IA, Megan Artaza and Ryan (Shannon) Witz, Houston, TX, Marc Kloster, Silverton, CO and Katie Kloster, Aspen, CO, five great-grandchildren : Ashley Artaza, Richard Witz, Charlotte, Madeline and Nellie Witz and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express thanks to the staff and residents of Briarwood and Perham Living. We appreciate the love extended to our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother by everyone.