Mildred Pauline Stousland

Mildred “Midge” Pauline (Semler) Stousland, passed gracefully to her heavenly home on Monday, January 25, 2016. Midge would have turned 90 years old on February 24, 2016. Mildred was the daughter of Edith and Emil Selmer of Willow City, North Dakota. Mildred went to grade school and high school in Willow City graduating in 1944 going on to study at Trinity Hospital School of Nursing. After graduation in 1948, she became a Registered Nurse working at the Rugby Hospital. On July 10, 1949 she was married to Bjarne Stousland. They spent their first eight years of marriage living in Willow City (teaching) and on the Thomeson Farm (farming) in Barton. The family moved to Garrison, North Dakota in 1957 where Bjarne continued his teaching profession with Midge working at the Garrison Hospital. In 1966 they moved to Jamestown where they both continued their nursing and teaching professions. Midge and Bjarne retired in 1983. In 2005 they moved to Fargo where they lived at Edgewood Vista with Bjarne passing away on October 20, 2012.

Midge has always been surrounded by her family and is survived by her daughters, Barb (Gary) Ransom of Fargo and Bettie (Tracey) Kensmoe of West Fargo, along with daughter-in-law, Penny (David) Stousland of Jacksonville, Oregon and sons, Brian (Lora) Stousland and Mark (Ruthie) Stousland both of Burnsville, Minnesota. Midge is also survived by twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She truly was a “Great” Grandma. Her surviving grandchildren are Chad (Raelyn) Ransom, Dawn (Erik) Herford, Kyle (Jessie) Ransom, Cory Stousland, Erin Stousland, Bethany (Ryan) Kadun, Lon (fiancée Mary Myers) Stousland, Mick Stousland, Marie Stousland, Tyler (fiancée Annie McIntyre) Stousland, Lisa (Eric) McBroom and Keegan Kensmoe along with great-grandchildren, Lucas and Reese Ransom, Hannah, Leighton and Benjamin Herford, Abi and Craig McCleary, Easton and Malakai Kadun and Alexys McBroom. Midge is also survived by her sister-in-law, Doris Semler of Willow City.

Midge was preceded in death by her father, Emil Semler; step-father, Hubert Getzlaff; mother, Edith; son, David (2007); brother, Gerald Semler and husband, Bjarne.

Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, next to Bjarne, her husband of 63½ years.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to: National Multiple Sclerosis Society ( www.nationalmssociety.org ), American Cancer Society ( www.cancer.org ) or to a memorial of your choice.