Lavina Brag

Lavina Brag died on Monday, August 5, 2013 at Bethany Retirement Living after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Lavina was born May 18, 1926 in Zeeland, ND. She was one of 17 children born to Frieda and Theophile Ochsner. Her family moved to Gardner in 1937 where she finished her education. She married Melvin Brag June 30, 1944 in Hillsboro, ND.

Early in their marriage they lived in Grandin, Hope and Buffalo, ND. Eventually they settled in Grandin, farming for 40 years. Lavina was a longtime member of Grace Lutheran Church. She worked at Agway until she retired in 1979. Following Melvin’s death in 1996, Lavina moved to Fargo.

Lavina loved the farm life, cooking, and playing cards, but her greatest love of all was her family.
She is survived by her children, June Niemann, Fargo, ND; Ranea (Gary) Johnson, East Grand Forks, MN; and Randy (Rachel) Brag, Kindred, ND; three sisters, Norma Lemke, Dilworth, MN; Millie Stagner, Nixon, MO; and Viona Symons, Fresno, CA; brother, Larry Ochsner, Buhl, MN; eleven grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Melvin; son, Donald; four sisters, Elsie, Esther, Linda and Florence; eight brothers, Raymond, David, Edwin, Eugene, Ruben, John, Hugo and Fred.

The family requests that memorials be designated to Hospice of the Red River Valley or Bethany Retirement Living.