Ava Dufner

Ava Dufner, 86, Minot,

ND, formerly of Lansford,

ND, passed away Friday,

November 5, 2021, at

Trinity Homes in Minot.

Ava Marie Rennie was

born August 20, 1935, the

daughter of Frank and

Edith (Pommier) Rennie,

in Kenmare, ND. She was

raised and educated in

Minot, graduating as

Valedictorian from St.

Leo’s High School in

1953.

She then furthered her

education, and attended

the St. Joseph’s School of

Nursing, where she gra-

duated in 1956. She was

employed as a surgical

nurse for St. Joseph’s Hos-

pital and the Renville

Memorial Hospital in

Mohall. While in Minot,

she was Dr. Huntley’s

scrub nurse.

Ava married Melvin

John Dufner July 24, 1958,

at St. Leo’s Catholic

Church in Minot. They

made their home and

raised their nine children

on the family farm, locat-

ed in Muskego Township,

Renville County. Togeth-

er, she and Melvin farmed

and had dairy cows until

1995. After retirement,

she remained and helped

on the farm until March

of 2018. She became a

resident at Somerset

Court until moving into

Trinity Homes in Sep-

tember of 2019. Melvin

passed away January 4,

2009.

She was a member of

St. Mary’s Catholic

Church (St. Henry’s

Catholic Church) in Fox-

holm, ND, St. Philomena

Catholic Church, Glen-

burn, ND, where she was

a member of all of their

Altar Societies and was a

lector.

She enjoyed reading,

sewing, cooking, garden-

ing, crocheting, em-

broidery, watching rodeos

and the North Dakota

State University Bison

Football as well as profes-

sional football. She also

enjoyed watching her

grandchildren’s activities.

She looked forward to at-

tending and hosting fami-

ly gatherings. Most of all,

she enjoyed when her

family came home. Her

last visit to the farm was

on June 6, 2021, when all

her family were present.

Her loving family in-

cludes: children, Susan

(Curt) Bohmbach,

Parshall, ND, Jeanne

Dufner, Minot, Tim

(Kathy) Dufner, Lansford,

Maureen (Eric) Stam-

baugh, Norwich, Alan

(Deanna) Dufner, Lans-

ford, James (Renee)

Dufner, Glenburn, Karen

(Jeremy) Thompson, Max,

Kathy (Greg) Zenz, Max,

John (Sara) Dufner, Minot,

son-in-law, Pete (Faye)

Kaliher, Minot; 20

grandchildren; 11

great-grandchildren; sis-

ters, Eloise Phillips,

Minot, ND, and Mary

(Vance) Cooksey, Abilene,

TX; sisters-in-law and

brothers-in-law, Ivy Ren-

nie, Boise, ID, Vernita

Broderick, Minot, Loreen

(Mike) Kiskila, San Jose,

CA, Sharen Dufner,

Minot, Theresa Bowen,

Bellville, IL, Betty (Ed)

Schall, Minot; and

numerous nieces,

nephews and cousins.

Ava was preceded in

death by her parents; hus-

band, Melvin;

father-in-law, John and

Susan Dufner;

stepmother-in-law, Irene

Dufner brother, Floyd

Rennie; sisters-in-law and

brothers-in-law, Marcella

(John) Weber, Vergil (Emi-

ly) Dufner, Albin (Evelyn)

Dufner, Delores (Merle)

Routledge, Bill Broderick,

Donna (Lynn) Roberts, Or-

ville Dufner, Agnes

Poppler, and infant

brother-in-law; and

numerous nieces,

nephews and cousins.

Mass of Christian Buri-

al: Wednesday, November

10, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at

St. Leo’s Catholic Church,

Minot.

Interment: Wednesday

at 2:00 p.m. at St. Henry’s

Catholic Cemetery, rural

Foxholm, ND.

Visitation: Tuesday

from 6 to 7 p.m. at St.

Leo’s Catholic Church,

Minot.

Vigil Prayer Service:

Tuesday at 7 p.m. at St.

Leo’s Catholic Church,

Minot.

The service will be

livestreamed for the pub-

lic to view and can be ac-

cessed by going to the

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral home website:

www.thompsonlarson.com

Those wishing to sign

the online register and

share memories may ac-

cess the online obituaries

section at

(www.thompsonlarson

.com).