Esther Opland

92, Minot and formerly of

the Des Lacs area, died on

Friday, October 23, 2020,

in an assisted living facili-ty.

Esther was born on

March 16, 1928, in rural

Carpio, ND, to Andrew

and Anna (Hagen) Vangs-

ness. She was raised and

educated in Hartland, ND,

graduating from Hartland

High School in 1946.

Esther married Lyle Op-

land on June 10, 1946, at

Rose Valley Lutheran

Church, rural Des Lacs.

They made their home on

a farm in Rolling Green

Township, where they

raised small grains and

cattle. She assisted her

husband in the daily

operation of the farmstead

along with driving bus for

Des Lacs-Burlington

School/United District #7

from 1979 to 1981. They

moved to Jamestown in

1981 and resided there

until 1991 when they re-

turned to their farmstead.

They moved to Minot in

2004, where they resided

until moving to Somerset

in 2017.

Esther was a longtime

member of Rose Valley

Lutheran Church, where

she served as the organist

for several years. She en-

joyed reading, cooking,

baking, traveling, and

watching the Lawrence

Welk show. Esther loved

her family and was espe-

cially fond of her

grandchildren and great-

grandchildren. She was

always happy when they

called or visited.

Esther’s loving family

includes her children:

Craig (Wanda) Opland of

Pelican Rapids, MN, Gor-

don (Sharon) Opland of

The Colony, Texas, Mark

(Jackie) Opland of Des

Lacs and Korey Opland of

Minneapolis; eleven

grandchildren: Carisa,

Dawnetta, Damon, Dain,

Dirk, Eric, Pamela, Alyssa,

Heidi, Rachel and Matt-

hew; sixteen great-grand-

children; sister Verna Nel-

son of Bellevue, WA,

sisters-in-law Nellie

Vangsness of Fargo, Ethel

Vangsness of Minot, and

Donna Vangsness of

Minot, along with several

nieces, nephews and

cousins.

Esther was preceded in

death by her parents; hus-

band Lyle; infant daughter

Michelle Ann Opland; sis-

ters Irene Toops, Alice

Anderson and Mabel Er-

ickson and brothers

Arthur, Martin, Elmer and

Glen Vangsness.

Private Family Service:

10:00 a.m. Wednesday,

October 28, 2020, at

Christ Lutheran Church,

Minot. To view a lives-

tream of the service or to

share memories and con-

dolences, please access

her obituary page at www.

thomasfamilyfuneralhome

.com.

Private Interment will

be in Rose Valley Luth-

eran Church Cemetery,

rural Des Lacs.

Public Visitation: Per

Esther’s request there will

be no reviewal, but family

and friends are invited to

sign a memorial register

on Tuesday, October 27,

2020, from 4:00 p.m. to

6:00 p.m. in Thomas Fam-

ily Funeral Home, Minot.

Memorials are pre-

ferred to Rose Valley

Lutheran Church Endow-

ment Fund.