Mary Louise Dhuyvetter

Mary Louise Dhuyvetter

age 87 of Crosby and

formerly of Noonan,

passed away on Wednes-

day, May 20, 2020 at St.

Luke’s Hospital in Crosby.

Mary Louise Rindel was

born April 20, 1933, to

Leo and Julia (Van-

dewalle) Rindel and

raised on a farm

southwest of Noonan. She

became known as “Mary

Lou” as there were many

other Marys in the family.

Mary Lou attended coun-

try school through the 8th

grade, and after getting to

skip a grade, graduated

from Noonan High School

in 1950. She went to

North Dakota State

University for one year.

After earning her teaching

certificate from Minot

State Teachers College,

she taught elementary

school in Lignite for one

year.

On June 25, 1953, she

wed Albert Dhuyvetter.

She and Albert rented a

few farmsteads until set-

tling on their family farm

just south of Noonan.

They raised nine children

on this farm; and after Al-

bert retired from farming

moved to the Northern

Lights Villa in Crosby in

2011.

Mary Lou was a farm

wife who dedicated her

life to her family. She

sewed and mended most

of their clothes, including

sewing wedding dresses

for her daughters. Her

grandchildren all received

special baby blankets and

crocheted afghans, and

she altered many special

occasion dresses for her

family and community

members. Her family was

raised on home baked

bread, which she had to

bake every week to keep

up with the demands of

this crew. She enjoyed

baking special treats and

took pride in her angel

food cakes and Belgian

cookies. Albert planted

huge gardens, and Mary

Lou became quite adept at

canning and freezing its

crops, often sharing her

beans and rhubarb with

neighbors. Her dill pickles

were a favorite at every

family gathering, and the

local county fair awarded

many blue ribbons for her

sewing and culinary exhi-

bits.

After the children left

home, Mary Lou took a

weekend relief clerk job at

the Noonan post office.

She enjoyed her hours

working out of the home

and getting to know dif-

ferent people. She made

lifelong friendships with

the other postmistresses.

She was also blessed with

many wonderful neigh-

bors and friends in

Noonan and at the North-

ern Lights Villa.

Mary Lou had a quick

wit and a passion for

word games. She enjoyed

doing the daily puzzles in

the newspaper and play-

ing Quiddler and Boggle

with her family. After

years of resisting, Mary

Lou learned to play pi-

nochle, a favorite of

Albert’s and her family.

She had a gentle, calming

presence and loved her

family very much. She

delighted in holding each

new baby and was an ex-

pert swaddler. A woman

of strong faith, she prayed

the rosary every day and

drew strength from her

devotion to Mary the

Blessed Mother. Mary Lou

was always very humble

and will be remembered

for her selfless spirit. She

found joy in helping those

in need and sending

handwritten letters to

loved ones.

Mary Lou was a

member of the American

Legion Auxiliary and St.

Luke’s Altar Guild. She

received the Heart of FCE

Homemaker Award and

this year would have re-

ceived her Family Com-

munity Education 60-year

membership award.

Mary Lou died peace-

fully with her family by

her side at the age of 87 in

the St. Luke’s Hospital of

Crosby. She is survived

by her children: Marian

(Kris) Ringwall, Patty

(Curt) Lund, John

(Sharon) Dhuyvetter, Bar-

bara (Dave) Ulmer, Gerald

(Betty) Dhuyvetter, Kevin

(Elaine) Dhuyvetter, Den-

ise (Brad) Johnson, Karen

(Trevor) Christianson and

Chris (Lenna) Dhuyvetter;

her brother-in-law Charlie

Dhuyvetter, her

sisters-in-law Rachel

(Jack) Bujalski and Dar-

lene Rindel; 33 grandchil-dren, 26 great grandchil-

dren, with more on the

way, and numerous

nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in

death by her husband, Al-

bert; her parents, Leo and

Julia; an infant son,

Robert Joseph; her broth-

er, Robert Rindel; her sis-

ter and brother-in-law,

Teresa (Joseph)

Dhuyvetter; and her

siblings-in-law: Alice

(Odell) Williams, George,

Irene (Floyd) Fenster,

Henry (Eileen) and Ray-

mond; and

great-grandson, Jonah Da-

vid.

Stakston-Martin Fun-

eral Home of Crosby, ND

is in charge of arrange-

ments.