Laurel Usselman

Drake

Laurel M. Usselman, 100, Drake, North Dakota passed away peacefully on Monday, January 23, 2023 at the St. Aloisius Nursing Home in Harvey, North Dakota. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 28, 2023 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, Drake, North Dakota. Fr. Thomas Graner will officiate and burial will be in the Balfour Cemetery in the spring. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 27, 2023 followed by a rosary and vigil service at 7:00 p.m. all at the church. Arrangements by Nelson Funeral Home, Drake, North Dakota.

Laurel Mary Usselman was born to Ed and Olga (Ries) Sherlock on December 27, 1922. She had three brothers and three sisters of which she was the oldest sister. William, Charles, Alfred, Erma, Joyce, and Clarice. She grew up on the Sherlock farm North East of Drake. She attended Drake school and graduated in 1941.

Laurel was united in marriage to the love of her life on June 26, 1943.To this union 3 children were born. Jeanne, Charles, and Peggy. There were two babies between Jeanne and Charles which were still born births, one girl and one boy.

Pius and Laurel made their home and raised their children on the Usselman farm north east of Balfour. until they retired from farming and moved into their home in Drake.

She enjoyed gardening, canning (she had the best dill pickles in the area), her flowers she had planted all around her house, her farm animals which all her milking cows had to have a name, she enjoyed fishing, embroidery. In her later years she enjoyed traveling mostly to find her children in the numerous places they lived. She especially enjoyed her Sunday drives with Pius and her granddaughters to the Balfour Cafe to get old fashioned hard ice cream. Her favorite was peppermint bonbon.

She is survived by her three children Jeanne Benson Minot, ND, Charles Usselman Balfour, ND, Peggy White (Ron Wilson) Blue Ridge, GA. One sister who was the youngest of the Sherlock children Clarice Martin Minot, ND, her grandchildren Laurie Benson (Chris Haman) Douglas, ND, Tammy (Eric) Frank West Fargo, ND, Jeri Benson, Blaine, MN, Sonya Usselman, Drake, ND, Mike Usselman (Erica Volz), Mandan, ND., great-grandchildren Jenna, Bethany, Andrew, Kailey, Danny, Kaitlyn, Jake, Alayna, and Ella, and numerous nieces and nephews

Laurel is preceded in death by her husband Pius Usselman, two infant children, her father and mother Ed and Olga Sherlock, brothers William, Charles, and Alfred Sherlock. Her sisters Erma Usselman, and Joyce Haykell, son-in-law Jerry Benson, daughter in law Tresa Usselman.

Published by The Minot Daily News, January 27, 2023.