Mary Ann Ruhland, 82, Garrison, died Monday, Sept. 21, 2009, in a Moorhead, Minn., nursing home. Funeral services will be held today, Sept. 25, at 10 a.m. in St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison. Burial will be at the church cemetery. Thompson Funeral Home, Garrison, is handling arrangements.

Mary Ann (Casper) Evenson Ruhland was born Aug. 11, 1927, south of Garrison on what was then the Mike Markert farm, to Anna Evenson. Her father, William Evenson, died shortly before her birth. Her mother died in December 1927 and she was raised by an aunt and uncle, Jack and Mary (Kirchen) Casper.

Mary Ann attended grade school at St. Nicholas Catholic School in Garrison and graduated from Garrison High School. Following high school she attended Bismarck Junior College.

Mary Ann married Ed Ruhland on April 24, 1946. She was employed at Garrison Memorial Hospital from 1956 to 1997 and was in charge of the lab at the time of her retirement.

Mary Ann is survived by: three sons, Robert (Diane) Ruhland, Fargo, Nicholas (Florence), Grand Forks, Daniel (Kelly), Mesa, Ariz.; daughter, Deborah (Jim) Howland, Moorhead, Minn; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a brother, Eugene Evenson, of California.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; stepparents; two brothers and one sister.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the North Dakota Right to Life Association.

To sign the online register, go to (www.garrisonthompson.com).