Mary Ann Forness

Mary Ann Forness of

Minot, formerly of Surrey

and Carpio, ended her

earthly journey on Tues-

day, July 24, 2018 at a

Minot hospital. She was

born on January 3, 1927,

the oldest child of Ed-

mund and Augusta (Dale-

bout) VanHove near

Noonan, ND. She attend-

ed rural elementary

schools and graduated

with the Mohall High

School Class of 1945.

Mary married Johnny

Forness on April 19, 1947

in the parlor of the par-

sonage of First Lutheran

Church in Minot. They

were the parents of four

daughters. Johnny farmed

in Callahan Township,

Renville County north of

Carpio, while Mary was a

busy stay-at-home moth-

er, gardening, tending the

chickens and managing

the household chores

without the luxury of in-

door plumbing. In the

1960’s and 70’s she was

active in Renville County

4-H, serving as the found-

er and leader of the Cal-

lahan Cloverettes 4-H

Club and also judging 4-H

sewing entries in the Ren-

ville County Fair. She was

also an active member of

the Callahan Township

Homemakers Club and

Carpio Lutheran Church

where she served in vari-

ous capacities with the

Ladies’ Aid, in Bible Cir-

cle, and as a long-time

Sunday School and Vaca-

tion Bible School teacher.

In 1972 she began a

17-year career as a restau-

rant cook. She worked at

the Mohall American Le-

gion Club. When Johnny

retired from farming in

1978 they moved to

Surrey, ND and she

worked at the Eagles Club

in Minot and later at the

Minot Country Club and

Northern Livestock Auc-

tion Cafe. She retired in

1989. Since moving to

Surrey, Mary has been an

active member of Hope

Lutheran Church, their

Women of the ELCA

group and Bible Circle.

Johnny died in 1989

and Mary moved to Minot

to reside in the Milton

Young Tower in 1992,

where she remained, liv-

ing independently until

she passed. Mary was a

long-time president of the

MYT Tenants’ Association

until her failing eyesight

made it too difficult to

serve in that capacity.

Mary embraced the com-

munity of tenants at Mil-

ton Young Tower and en-

joyed the activities and

socializing offered there.

Mary’s most prized pos-

session was her loving

family. She cherished

time spent with family,

especially for holiday

celebrations. She modeled

love and grace to all, and

accepted each person into

the family, whether it was

a new partner or spouse,

or a friend who was away

from their own family.

She was loved and will be

missed by all who knew

her.

Mary’s family includes

daughters Linda (Vern)

Emerson, Verla (Jim) Ros-

tad, Marlys (Todd) Mag-

nuson and son-in-law

Curt (Wanda) Schall. Nine

grandchildren, ten great-

grandchildren and one

great-great-grandchild.

Brother, Carl VanHove,

several nieces and

nephews.

Mary was preceded in

death by her husband

Johnny, daughter, Jenice

Schall, her parents, broth-

er Harry Van Hove, sister

Julianna Van Hove and an

infant brother; in-laws,

Gail (Arneson) VanHove,

Arthur Forness, Carmie

and Gertie (Forness) Nel-

son, Englof Forness, Myr-

tle (Forness) Mace, Arthur

and Alma (Forness)

Anderson; nephew Dean

Mace and niece Marlene

(Nelson) Craig.

Celebration of the Life

of Mary Forness: Monday,

July 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.

in Hope Lutheran Church,

Surrey.

Interment: Sunset

Memorial Gardens, Minot.

Visitation: Sunday, July

29, 2018 from 4:00 p.m.

until 6:00 p.m. in Thomas

Family Funeral Home,

Minot.

In lieu of flowers and

plants, memorials are pre-

ferred to Hope Lutheran

Church, Surrey or an or-

ganization of the donor’s

choice.

Those wishing to sign

the online memorial regis-

ter or share memories and

condolences are invited to

use the expressions of

sympathy section at

www.thomasfamily

funeralho.com.