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funeral service for Thelma Benson, 93, Bismarck, ND, formerly of Valley City, ND, will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 25, 2012 at Zion Lutheran Church, rural Valley City. Burial will be in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery. She died at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck on February 22, 2012.
Visitation will be an hour prior to the service in the church Saturday.
Thelma Agnes Welken was born September 12, 1918, at her parents’ home in Skandia Township in Barnes County, ND to Iver and Olga (Larson) Welken. At the age of 12, the family moved to Meadow Lake Township to another farm. She graduated from high school at Green School and attended Valley City State Teachers College. She taught in one-room schools in Skandia Township and Median, ND.
On September 21, 1940, Thelma married Bernard Benson. They lived on the family farm in Svea Township and raised their four children. In 1964, they moved to Valley City. In the late 1980’s they purchased a home in Arizona and spent their winters there. They lived in St. Paul, MN from 1992-1996. After Bernard died in 1996, Thelma moved to Bismarck.
Thelma was a very creative lady. She loved art, music, and especially liked to write poetry. She always enjoyed visiting with friends and had a kind word for everyone. Most of all she loved her family and treasured the times she spent with her children and grandchildren.
Her Norwegian heritage was very important to her and she shared many stories and traditions with her family. She was proud that her name came from a book her father had read about a Norwegian princess named Thelma.
She is survived by her daughter, Delores Erickson of Maple Grove, MN, son, Ralph (Kathy) Benson of Jamestown, ND, daughter, Donna (Jon) Nestoss of Bismarck; 9 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; and 8 step-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Ronald Benson; grandson, Patrick Benson; and brothers, Leonard and Elias Welken.
The family suggests memorials be made to Zion Lutheran Church.
Arrangements for Thelma have been entrusted to Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City. An online guestbook for her has been set up at www.oliver-nathanchapel.com