Margaret Mary Aaland

Margaret Mary (Graves) Aaland, 78, of Fargo, North Dakota, died Tuesday, July 21, 2015, at Essentia Hospital. Margaret “Peg” was born on June 8, 1937, the daughter of Carl and Stella (Bushey) Graves in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Peg was united in Marriage to Wayne Harvey Aaland in January, 1955, in Detroit Lakes.

In 1977, after obtaining her general education diploma, Peg enrolled at NDSU, earning a Bachelor’s degree in 1982 and a Masters of Education in Counseling in 1984. She was employed as a chemical dependency counselor in Shakopee, Minnesota, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and for St. John’s/Heartland in Fargo, until she retired in 1994. Peg lectured frequently on issues related to her field.

Peg was a voracious reader, a merciless Scrabble player, a sage counselor and a beloved friend. Peg was a fighter and a cancer survivor. When confronted with her most recent grim diagnoses she felt at peace having gracefully and fully lived some twenty years beyond everyone’s expectations.

Peg is survived by her four children, Laurie Aaland (Daryl Knudson) of Excelsior, Minnesota; Wayne (Loretta) Aaland of Aurora, Colorado; Becky Aaland of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; and Cash (Laura) Aaland of Christine, North Dakota. Peg is also survived by eight grandchildren, Daneale Perkins, Shoreview, MN, Tiffany Branch (Dennis), St. Paul, MN, Leah Foell (Andrew), Rochester, MN; Billy Aaland-Parrish (Ryan), Midland, TX, Wayne Aaland III (Alicia), Hillsboro, ND, V. Mattice Aaland (Jennifer), Batavia, IL, August Aaland, Christine, ND, and Jonas Aaland, Christine, ND; six great-grandchildren, Hannah Branch, St. Paul, MN; Delaney Perkins, Excelsior, MN; Lorelei Parrish, Midland, TX; Braddock Parrish, Midland, TX, Finley Parrish, Midland, Texas, and Julien Aaland, Batavia, IL.

Peg was preceded in death by her parents; husband Wayne; four brothers: Claude, John (Jack), Jerry, and Jim, and three sisters: Genevieve Shriner, Kathryn Kahlberg, and Patricia Housholder.