Edna Zenz

formerly of Max, died

Thursday, December 1,

2022 in a Minot nursing

home.

Edna Alice Shaw was

born in Minot, ND on

June 30, 1944. She was

named after her Aunt

Edna and said while the

aunt was nice the name

definitely was not! She

was the 10th of 12 chil-

dren born to Lawrence

and Beatrice (Spensley)

Shaw. Edna grew up on

the family farm and at-

tended area schools, in-

cluding those at which

her sisters taught. She gra-

duated from Wabek Grade

School and Makoti High

School. Edna furthered

her education at Presenta-

tion College in Aberdeen,

SD, where she learned the

secretary trade. She

worked as a labor union

secretary in Minot and

Grand Forks.

Edna met her husband

John Zenz on a blind date

and they were married in

Douglas on October 24,

1964. They resided in

Grand Forks and were

blessed with five children.

In 1982 John and Edna

moved their family to

Max, ND to more easily

manage their grain farm

as well as to be closer to

their families. Edna was a

devoted farm wife – driv-

ing a grain truck, running

for parts, butchering

chickens, and making

meals. She also operated a

home daycare, supervis-

ing many of the teachers’

children as well as other

area youth. At various

times throughout her life

she enjoyed singing,

ceramics, sewing, quilt-

ing, pinochle, game

shows, bingo, and trivia.

For several years she was

“The Bun Lady” of Max,

making buns nearly every

day to share or sell

throughout the region.

Mom was an absolutely

wonderful mom, epitom-

izing all the good qualities

of motherhood. She was

involved with her

children’s schools, sports,

and activities, and later

attended as many of her

grandchildren’s activities

as possible. She was infin-

itely patient, fully forgiv-

ing, wise, strong, and kind

to all. Her grandchildren

loved staying over at

Grandma’s house. We are

all indebted to her for the

positivity she brought to

us.

Edna’s faith was key in

her life. She was a former

member of Immaculate

Conception Catholic

Church and Ladies’ Aid in

Max. Upon moving to

Minot in 2016, she en-

joyed daily Masses at

Somerset Court. Rosaries

and crucifixes followed

her to Edgewood Memory

Care and recently to Trin-

ity Homes Memory Care.

In the weeks before she

passed, Edna spoke of her

parents and other de-

ceased family members

and of God and Jesus. She

often sang “Jesus Loves

Me.” She enjoyed listen-

ing to us pray with her,

folding her hands for

prayer even when weak.

While dementia may have

stolen most of GEM’s

(Grandma-Edna-Mom)

memories of her loved

ones, we will keep her in

our hearts forever and in

our minds for as long as

we are able.

Our family would like

to thank all the staff who

encountered Edna at her

homes away from home.

Your nursing skills, activi-

ties, kindness, patience,

understanding, and

humor all helped make

her transitions a little

easier. We are humbled

by your work within the

assisted living and

memory care communi-

ties.

Edna is survived by her

children: John (Lorri)

Zenz of Watford City,

Lynae (Duane) Schroeder

of Max, Peggy (Ronald)

Kostenko of Minot, Greg

(Kathy) Zenz of Max, and

Michelle Demchuk of

Minot; grandchildren

Remington Kostenko, Col-

ton (Amanda) Schroeder,

Jeanna Zenz (Kevin Pen-

dergast), Eric Demchuk,

Alex Schroeder, Carter

Zenz, Rebecca Kostenko,

Aimee (Ethan) Benham,

Christopher Zenz, Ryan

Kostenko, Stephanie

Zenz, and Michael Zenz;

siblings Gary (Jo) Shaw,

Curt (Cathie) Shaw, and

Margaret Lange; in-laws

John Novodvorsky, Ursula

Shaw, Alice (Tom) Ross,

and Judy Zenz. She was

preceded in death by her

husband John; grand-

daughter Brooke

Schroeder; son-in-law

Rick Demchuk; brothers

Harold, Russell, Warren,

Boyd, and Victor; and sis-

ters Bonnie Hansen, Nel-

da Fitzgerald, and

Evernne Novodvorsky.

Visitation: Monday, De-

cember 5, 2022 from 4-6

p.m. at Thompson-Larson

Funeral Home, Minot

Vigil Prayer Service:

Monday, December 5,

2022 at 6 p.m. at

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home Chapel, Minot

Mass of Christian Buri-

al: Tuesday, December 6,

2022, at 11 a.m. at the Im-

maculate Conception

Catholic Church, Max, ND

Interment: Endres

Catholic Cemetery, rural

Max, ND

The service will be

video recorded for the

public to view and can be

accessed Tuesday evening

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).