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Wanda Jean Schestler

April 12, 1956-June 22, 2020

Wanda Jean Schestler,

64, Valley City, ND, form-

erly of Minot, ND, passed

away Monday, June 22,

2020, at Sanford Health in

Fargo, ND.

Wanda Jean was born

April 12, 1956, to Dale

and JoAnn Hulse, in Bot-

tineau, ND. At age five,

she was adopted by Ray

and Cloa Wasson. She

spent her childhood living

in North Dakota and Ore-

gon. She graduated from

Velva High School in

1974.

Wanda worked as a bar-

tender and homemaker

until the early 1990’s. She

then worked as a Head-

start teacher’s assistant

until 1995. And finally,

she went to work for

Community Action as a

nutrition specialist. Help-

ing others was her pas-

sion. She loved her senior

citizens and worked many

hours to make sure they

had all they needed.

Thanksgiving Day was

spent delivering meals to

seniors with her grand-

son, Mitchel. Taking her

family down to see the

holiday train was always a

special time for her. She

and her family would

help fill the truck up. She

always became emotional

about how the community

came together to help the

less fortunate. She also

loved spending time with

the various food pantries

that she was part of. All of

her children had helped

through the years with

her various food drives

and deliveries.

In 2011, she was in-

volved in a devastating

car accident that left her

with a severe brain injury.

She fought hard over the

past nine years. During

this time, her daughter,

Trista, worked especially

hard to be her voice and

was always by Wanda’s

side. She lived at various

care facilities throughout

North Dakota. Her longest

stay was at Dakota Alpha

in Mandan. Each facility

came to love her infec-

tious laugh and her danc-

ing. She loved doing arts

and crafts especially

coloring for hours.

She enjoyed playing

computer games, board

games, and her grandchil

dren and pets.

Wanda will always be

remembered for her car-

ing and giving heart, her

love for rescued animals,

her inspirational quotes

and her heart-warming

laugh.

Her loving family in-

cludes: children, Tara

Nielsen, Minot, Tosha

(Derek) Olson, Minot,

Kristofer Schestler, Minot,

and Trista Schestler “baby

doll”, Bismarck, ND;

grandchildren, Kelseye

(James), Ta’teanna, Mitch-

el, Breein, Brekka, Peyton,

Hunter, Cameron and

Briar; great-grandchildren,

Rylan and Aubrie; broth-

ers, LeRoy, and Tim

(Lisa); sisters, Tammy

(Mark), Kimmie and Tam-

mi (James); and numerous

nieces, nephews and

cousins.

Wanda was preceded

in death by: her parents;

and brothers, Dale and

Billy.

Memorials: In lieu of

flowers, memorial are pre-

ferred to Homeless Coali-

tion.

Celebrating the Life of

Wanda Jean: (due to the

Coronavirus Pandemic)

A Celebration of Life

Service will be held Mon-

day, June 29, 2020, at

11:00 am at the Velva City

Park.

Memorials: In lieu of

flowers, memorial are pre-

ferred to Homeless Coali-

tion.

The service will be

video recorded for the

public to view and can be

accessed by going to

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/

channel/UCkw5wBH7W_I

UwKUcuLvhgOw.

Those wishing to sign

the online register and

share memories may ac-

cess the online obituaries

section at

(www.thompsonlarson.

com).