Theressa Bertha Coughlin

Theressa Coughlin, 101, of Fargo, ND, died Monday, September 22, 2014 at Sanford Health Palliative Care in Fargo.

Theressa Bertha Dahl was born September 19, 1913 in Cottonwood, MN to Lars and Thora Dahl. Her family moved to Hitterdahl, MN, where she grew up and graduated from Hitterdahl High School. She attended St. Lukes School of Nursing in Fargo, ND, graduating in 1934.
Theressa married Joseph Odney Coughlin on September 8, 1935 in Detroit Lakes, MN. She worked as a nurse in both Detroit Lakes and Minneapolis before staying home to raise their family. In 1941, Joseph graduated from Luther Theological Seminary. Together they lived in Deer Park, WI; Superior, WI; Page, ND; and Velva, ND. They moved to Fargo after Joseph’s retirement, and Theressa returned to nursing at the Americana Nursing Home (now Manor Care), where she worked for eight years.

Theressa is survived by one son, Paul (Marlys) Coughlin, Bismarck, ND; five daughters, Joyce Atwood, Tolley, ND; Joann McCoy, Fargo, ND; Karen Pearson, Pueblo, CO; Bonnie (Don) Blair, Moses Lake, WA; Beth (Mark) Zier, Puyallup, WA; fourteen grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph on August 16, 1996; three brothers, Clarence, Olaf, and Alvin Dahl; sons-in-law, William McCoy and Justin Atwood; and great-grandson, Baby Justin Hauf.