Niela Rae Ludwik

Garrison, died on Thurs-

day, June 6, 2019 at San-

ford Hospital in Bismarck.

Memorial services will be

held on Friday at 2:00

p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran

Church in Garrison. Buri-

al will be at in Drake at

8:00 pm.

Niela Rae June (Kaibel)

Ludwik was born June 9,

1940 to Norman and Rosie

(Engel) Kaibel. She went

to country school until

the 6th grade before at-

tending school in

Anamoose and Drake.

Niela Rae married Eu-

gene Ludwik on June 26,

1956 and had 3 children.

They moved more than 20

times in the first couple

years of their marriage.

They lived in Fargo,

Minot, Drake, and Santa

Susana, CA. In 1969 they

moved back to North

Dakota and farmed and

milked 100 head of cows

until their son Kevin took

over the farm in 1984.

They then purchased the

Coleharbor Bar, bait shop

and gas station and ran it

together until Gene’s

death in 1988. Niela Rae

operated the business by

herself for one year. Dur-

ing this time she was also

a full-time bus driver for

the Underwood school.

After selling the busi-

ness she became the

secretary for the Augusta-na Lutheran Church in

Underwood. She met

Denis Hedstrom and soon

combined families adding

1 more son and 3

daughters. They moved to

a home on the lake by

Garrison in 1996. She

then drove bus for West

River Transit and the

Garrison school system.

She drove bus for the

school until just weeks

before her death and she

always enjoyed the kids

she drove for.

While living in Garrison

Niela Rae never let the

grass grow under her feet.

She was always on the go

and was willing to help

with anything at any time.

She was very active with

St. Paul Lutheran Church.

She was involved in the

quilting group, Bible

study, and WELCA. In the

community she helped at

the Senior Citizens, Camp

of the Cross, Rhubarb Fes-

tival, the church’s German

supper, and attended ex-

ercise classes. She also

helped many people that

were less fortunate.

Niela Rae is survived

by: her partner, Denis

Hedstrom, Garrison, ND;

children, Roxanne (David)

Kapanke, Underwood,

ND, Kevin (Donna)

Ludwik, Van Horne, Iowa,

Julie (Reginald) Faul,

Dunnellon, Fl; Denis’s

children, Kristie (Michael)

McEntire, Fairfax, VA,

Linette (Frank) Laswell,

Turtle Lake, ND, Jennifer

(Joe) Hall, Wilton, ND,

Michael (Laurie)

Hedstrom, Bismarck, ND;

25 grandchildren; 21

great-grandchildren; sis-

ter, Sandra (John) Caudle,

Dunnellon, FL; brother,

Larry (Mary) Kaibel,

Drake, ND; and many

nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in

death by: her husband,

Eugene Ludwik, parents,

Norman and Rosie Kaibel,

and brother, Norlan

Kaibel.

To sign the online regis-

ter go to www.garrison

thompson.com