Marion Nelson

Minot

Marion Nelson, 93, Minot, formerly of Kenmare, ND, passed away on Sunday, December 22, 2024 in her home.

Marion Thiel was born March 22, 1931, the fifth of five children born to Max and Catherine (Bauer) Thiel, in Kenmare, ND. When she was seven, her father, Max, died after a farm accident. Her brother Anton took over farming and she and her mother, Catherine, lived on the farm with him.  She attended St. Agnes Catholic School until her junior year, and when Anton got married, she and her mother moved to Salt Lake City, UT to live with her sister Clara.   She graduated from high school in Salt Lake, attended business college there and later moved to Minot, ND, where she worked at Westland Oil Company.

On January 11, 1953 at the Elmdale Lutheran Church in Niobe, ND she married Delmer Nelson (son of Edward and Ella Nelson). After their marriage they farmed and raised cattle in Kenmare, and had three children, Onamae “Ona,” Orlan, and Lyndon. They were also co-owners of the International Harvester dealership in Kenmare from 1964-1978. Many years later, they added a few pigs and sheep for Delmer, and Marion’s “girls”–her chickens (and even some exotic “Las Vegas” ones). These later residents served as great entertainment for the grandkids and visitors.

Their farm was beautifully maintained, and their garden was filled with delicious vegetables that were always freshly cooked up along with wonderful savory items and delicious baked goods for family and guests. For 17 years they operated the Farm Comfort Bed & Breakfast and had many friends who came back year-after-year for birding, deer, duck and goose hunting.  Their home was always the headquarters for the British friends and Swedish relatives who came to visit along with hundreds of others, who they loved meeting and getting to know about their area of the country/world. They said, “it was our way of traveling by learning from them.” 

A tall woman for her generation at 5’11”, clothes were hard to find to fit, so she had to have them sewn for her, but she always looked stylish and fashionable for the times. Marion was active in the church, Ladies Aid, Village Neighbors homemakers, and Samovar club, and in Kenmare’s Pioneer Village for preserving local history. Marion was a very likeable, outgoing person who loved to entertain, and no matter what time of day, if you popped into their place, she’d say, “Come on in, the coffee pot’s on and we’ll sit for a bit.” She loved her music, and if a “good beat” song came on, she would be ready to dance! Either stay and enjoy, or run for your life!

In her much later years, she would be faced with multiple, challenging medical issues. She managed to rally through them with stubborn determination and refused to let them slow her down. After finally accepting that she was no longer able to do some things for herself anymore, she sold the farm, moved to town for several years and later to assisted living in Minot, ND. Living a year there and adjusting to this new foreign lifestyle, then the pandemic hit. She contracted Covid twice and lost her sense of taste and smell, which never returned. To make matters worse, she then started to lose her eyesight and became blind. Her world became very small with these limitations. Her strength and fortitude through all this was amazing, but she still had her sense of humor and keen mind. She has had wonderful friends and family to help support her through this, which she so appreciated more than we’ll ever realize. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Delmer (b. 1928, d.2010), daughter Onamae Richardson, sisters Clara (Walt) Dinwiddie, Ann (Herb) Nichols, brothers Leo (Ann) Thiel, Anton “Tony” (Hilda) Thiel, niece Linda Thiel and grandchild Kristen Nelson (Orlan and Diane).

She is survived by: children Orlan (Diane), Minot, ND; Lyndon (Becky), Kenmare, ND; son-in-law James Richardson, Portland OR, nephews/nieces Bruce (Suzanne)Thiel, Portland OR; Gayle Thiel, Dan (Dan) Thiel, Randy (Lisa) Thiel, San Francisco; Skip (Nancy) Nichols, Houston; Candy (Phil) Yarborough, Torrance, CA, Judy (Nordstog) Erickstad, San Diego; Charles Nordstog, Mandan, ND.

Grandchildren: Reese Richardson, Neal (Ashley) Richardson, Keri (Kalvin) Larson, Lyndsie Nelson, Halie (Nelson) Dorval, Katie Nelson. Great grandchildren: Krew, Kayah, Kendri Larson, Emmet and Ellis Dorval.

Marion will be missed as a pillar of excellence, humor, historian, culture, practical educator and entertainer by family, community, and dear friends near and far. Special appreciation and thanks to Ron and Wilma Boughton and nephew Bruce Thiel, who went above and beyond for her.

In discussing her preparations for moving to the next world, she said, “When I’m in my coffin, make sure I have my lipstick on, earrings on and my fingernails are polished!”

A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2025 from 5 until 7 pm at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home Kenmare

Funeral Services will be held at the Elmdale Lutheran Church in Niobe, ND, Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11 am. The service will be video-taped and uploaded to her web page at www.thompsonlarson.com

Burial is at the Elmdale Lutheran Cemetery, Niobe.

Published by The Minot Daily News, January 2, 2025.