Funeral service will be held at 2:00PM on Saturday April 8, 2023 at the Winkler Reinland Mennonite Church with interment to follow at the Winkler Cemetery. Viewing will be from 1PM-8PM on Friday at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler and at the church prior to the service. Donations may be made in Elisabeth's memory to Faith Mission. 
  
 Elisabeth Dyck (nee Dyck)
1919 ~ 2023
 Elisabeth Dyck of Horndean, MB formerly of Winkler passed away peacefully at home at the age of 103.
She was born to Peter R and Justina (nee Schmidt) Dyck in the Osler district of Saskatchewan on June 13, 1919. Her earliest education was in German and later, English reaching grade four by age 13. The family moved quite often, so her education ended there. However, this did not stop her quest to learn as she was an avid reader. The last place they lived in Saskatchewan was at Barne’s Crossing near Meadow Lake where they lived in a log house. She had some of her best memories from their years there. And this would have become “home” if it had not been for her brother, Peter’s accident in Manitoba. Because of his critical condition, the family felt they needed to be near him and moved to Manitoba. Elisabeth was baptized upon the confession of her faith in 1939. In Manitoba, she found work as a housekeeper. Her last employer was a recent widower (with three children) whom she later married. On September 1, 1946, Elisabeth married Peter D Dyck and was instantly blessed with three children. Their marriage of 36 years added four more children to the family. Over these years, married to a sportsman, Elisabeth took up hunting and fishing. She also enjoyed sewing and gardening as well as feeding and watching birds. Her dream of writing her life story came to fruition when she published her book “Window into my Past” in 1999.
Elisabeth is survived by two sons, Norman (Sue) of BC, Lloyd (Marilyn) of Ile des Chenes, MB, four daughters, Agatha (Abe) Froese and Katie Dyck of Winnipeg, MB, Devina Dyck ofWinkler, MB and Stella (Charles) Thiessen of Horndean, MB as well as 11 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 13 great great grandchildren and one sister. She was predeceased by her husband, Peter in 1982, son-in-law, Abe in 1989, son Bill in 1992, daughter-in-law, Sue in 2005, grandson, Kennedy in 2008, granddaughter, Jo-Anne and grandson, Douglas in 2022, great grandson, Cole in 2012 as well as six brothers (three in infancy) and five sisters (one in infancy).
Funeral service on Saturday April 8, 2023 at the Winkler Reinland Mennonite Church with interment at the Winkler Cemetery. Donations may be made in Elisabeth’s memory to Faith Mission.
Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler
In care of arrangements
wiebefuneralhomes.com

Funeral service will held at 2:00PM on Saturday April 8, 2023 at the Chortitz Old Colony Mennonite Church with interment to follow at the Hochfeld Cemetery. Viewing will be from 1PM-6:30PM on Friday at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler and at the church prior to the service.

Anna Dyck (nee Kroeker)
1940 ~ 2023
 At Salem Home in Winkler, MB, Anna decided it was time to rest and passed away peacefully with her family by her side.
She was predeceased by her husband, John and 2 sons, Isaac and Peter, and a number of brothers and sisters, as well as brothers and sisters in law.
She was born in Altona, MB in September 1940 and was the 11th of 15 children. She was baptized in May of 1961 and she married John in June of 1961. When Anna was born, her parents blessed her with a scripture, as they did with each of their children. Hers was taken from John 9:4 where it says “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work”. Anyone who knew Anna knew that she lived those words every day of her life. Whether she was farming in Mexico, planting and picking tomatoes in Ontario, cleaning the golf course in Winkler, or feeding and caring for her children, grandchildren and their many friends, her hands never stopped. The determination to live up to the words of that scripture ran through her veins just as strong as the love and care she had for her family and the faith she had in God. 
After the funeral announcements, and with The Price is Right playing in the background, she was always the first one to be up in the morning making waffles and white sauce until you couldn’t eat anymore. Her days were spent rolling dough for Kielke and Schmaundt-Fat, perogies, and noodle soup, making buns, or slicing watermelon to have with roll kuchen. She was by far the best cook in the world, mostly because every noodle, every perogy, every waffle, and every taco was made and motivated by love for the person she was making it for. She knew everyone’s favorite food and made sure you had it to your heart’s content. Food was her love language and when you ate at Grandma’s table you knew how loved you were. When that table wasn’t covered in flour, it was covered in puzzle pieces, knackzoat, and pictures. Many hours were spent building pictures that were so much more meaningful that any picture on a box. Pictures and moments in time when she was content to sit with you when the days work was done. Where she wasn’t teaching you to cook, but she was teaching you to rest, because those quiet moments of togetherness were just as important as hard work. She taught us that while its important to do the edges first, the middle is just as important because altogether you get to see the big picture. For her, that picture was her family. Her sisters and brothers, her husband and children, her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and most importantly, her Heavenly Father.
She leaves to mourn her passing her brother, Frank and her sister, Lisa, her six children: Tina (Mike), Helen (Brian), John (Lori-Ann), Anna, Isaac, Eva (Jason), her 11 grandchildren: Crystal (Michael), Janine, Mason, Vanessa (Nic), Samantha, Chantelle, Jasmyn, Tyler, Madison, Alexandria, Jordan, and her 8 great grandchildren: Hayley, Hannah, Claire, Arthur, Jaxon, Branson, Nova and Stella.
John 11:25, 26 says, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
Anna lived her life by faith and love and though she is resting now, we know we will see her again. Until then, her example, her heart, and her love live on in each one of us.

​Thelma Doreen Welch (nee Kirkness)
Doreen was born August 12, 1928 in Punnichy, SK, to Archibald and Helen Kirkness.  Her siblings were George, Bernice, Mervin, Bernard, Marjorie, Jarvis and Wayne.  She attended Hollis School where she forged life-long friendships.
Doreen was 16 when the whole family moved to Virden, MB and farmed above the Assiniboine River.
On April 23, 1949, Doreen married Isaac Clinton Welch.  They had 3 children, Brenda, Heather and Brent.      
Clint and Doreen enjoyed their RV travels all over The Prairies and the winter visits to Arizona and Texas.  Doreen put in a garden every year into her 90’s, enjoyed knitting and was a very good cook.    
Since Clint died February 8, 2021, Doreen lived at Homestead South, Morden, and Westman Nursing Home, Virden, MB.     
Doreen is survived by her brother Wayne, her daughter, Brenda, her son-in-law Ronald Foote (Heather) of Bienfait, SK, her grandchildren, Chris (Mary) Foote and Rhonda (Jason) Foote Lamb,
And Lance, Grant (Cora) and Shane LaPierre, as well as great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.     
Doreen has been cremated for interment later. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer Association.

June S. Mongeon, 89 of Rolette ND passed away on March 30, 2023 at her home in Rolette.
Visitation will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Rolette on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, April 5th at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Paulraj Thondappa celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery at a later date.
June Sonja Myrum, one of eleven children and daughter of Samuel and Emma (Stienlie) Myrum was born on July 9, 1933 in Rolette.  She grew up in the Rolette area, attended Rolette Public School and graduated from Rolette High School.  After high school, June went to live with her brother in Bismarck, ND and worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for an insurance company. She later moved out to California, made her home with her sister and worked in a bank. 
June’s family had lived as neighbors to the Mongeon’s for several years and while living in California, June reconnected with Alfred. He was working with and living with his brother Leo in California. June was united in marriage to Alfred Mongeon on January 12, 1955 at the Catholic Church in Buena Park, California. Later that year, they moved back to North Dakota and called the Rolette area their home the rest of their lives.
June and Alfred were in team in any of the business adventures Alfred was a part of, but first and foremost she was always a devoted wife and loving mother.  Coming from such a large family, and experiencing the death of her parents at a young age, June and Alfred soon became caregivers to June’s twin sisters Connie and Carol. And in later years, they cared for Alfred’s dad in their home.
June was that hard-working farm wife too. Helping with chores, cooking meals, packing lunches and tending a large garden from planting, to harvesting, to canning the produce. She was in the kitchen along with the other ladies helping to process the beef and pork when it was time to restock the freezers.
One of her passions was golfing and she was able to enjoy this sport year round when she and Alfred wintered in Arizona for 22 years. June was thrilled when she won the Rolette Ladies City Golf Tournament in 1973. They also enjoyed many summers of family camping and spending time at Fish Lake. In later years, June crocheted many beautiful creations, sharing them with family and friends and also enjoyed keeping up with family and friends through Facebook.
June was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Altar Society and enjoyed membership in the Rolette Country Club for many years.  
In 1993, Alfred and June moved from the farm into Rolette. For the past several years, June has suffered increasing health problems but through the grace of God, the love and support of her husband, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren and these special caregivers and providers, Tracy Casavant, Fr. Paulraj, Angie Jenkins, Lorraine Fritel, Diane O’Brien, Gail Tastad, Christy Zinck, Dr. Ben Mack, Jodi of the Rugby Hospice, and the prayerful support of the entire community she remained in her home until her passing. God Bless You All.
June’s loving family include her husband Alfred of 68 years, sons and daughters-in-law Michael and Terri Jo Mongeon and William and Gail Mongeon all of Rolette; grandchildren Mason Mongeon, Los Angeles, CA, Matthew (Anna) Mongeon, Rolette; Kelsey Dalziel, Devils Lake ND, Kacey Mongeon, Fargo ND and Garrett Mongeon, Rolette and great granddaughter Charlie Dalziel; sisters-in-law Alice Myrum, Devils Lake and Sr. Germaine Stephanie Mongeon, St. Joseph MN; many dear nephews, nieces and their families.
She was preceded in death by her parents, son Michael A. Mongeon, siblings Adeline Myrum, John, Theodore, Morris, Orlin, Donald and Stanley Myrum, Shirley Dinnauer and twins Connie Warren and Carol Mongeon, in-laws Pierre and Anna Mongeon.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00PM on Monday April 3, 2023 at the Winkler Reinlander Mennonite Church with interment to follow at the Reinland Mennonite Church Cemetery, Schanzenfeld. Viewing will be from 1PM-6:30PM on Sunday at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler and at the church prior to the service.  

 Isaac B (IsB) Wiebe

1939 ~ 2023
 On Wednesday March 29th, 2023 at 4:40 a.m. Isaac B. Wiebe aged 84 years of Winkler, MB formerly of Blumenfeld, passed away peacefully at his residence in Salem Home with some of his family at his side.
Dad was born on March 12th, 1939 in Cuauhtemoc, Chihauhua, Mexico to Bernhard and Aganetha Wiebe. The majority of his primary years he lived in Campo 106 Schoenfeld, Mexico. As a single young man, he moved to Canada along with his brother Ben. Dad was baptized on May 22nd, 1961 in Campo 107, Burwalde by Reverend Abraham Schmidt. On July 26, 1964 Dad married Katharina Krahn in Taber, Alberta. Their marriage was officiated by Reverend Dave Wall. Together they raised seven sons and four daughters and later got to enjoy 22 grandsons and 18 granddaughters. Additionally, the blessings grew to include 11 great-grandsons and 16 great-granddaughters. His children and grandchildren were so special to him. He enjoyed all the times he could spend with us and he prayed for the entire family daily. Dad’s passions included fellowship, music, puzzling, and people; he never met a stranger. He always moved to the music and enjoyed singing and playing harmonica. Both in his garage and at Bill Peters Service on Highway 32, Dad enjoyed tinkering in wood/metal work and always whistled while he worked. On his way home from Peters Service, Dad would put his truck in gear and let it idle home as he listened to Back to the Bible on the radio. He could enjoy the entire 30-minute program in that 2.5-mile ride. Dad also enjoyed talking about building projects and giving advice and assistance wherever he could. He was a very patient man and would have given the shirt off of his back if someone had needed it. Not that many people would have fit into his shirt. Throughout his life, Dad was very hard working. In his early childhood, his parents were struggling to make ends meet so Dad was hired out as a farm-assist (also known as a farmhand). He was approximately 11 years old at this time and it was very difficult for him to live apart from his family. Because of the distance and lack of transportation he was rarely able to go home to visit his family and when he did, he could only go for a few hours. Dad shared how he was so emotionally overcome in those visits that he would weep more than visit with his family. In his late teens, Dad worked as a salesman in a small general store in Mexico. Dad often reminisced about that job; it rated very high on his list of job experiences, and he would fondly speak of how much he had enjoyed it. When Dad moved to Canada as a young man, he had various jobs ranging from farmhand in Alberta, to the creamery in Winkler, and Conquest in Altona. The remainder of his career was spent in carpentry, building houses, pole barns, and whatever the customer requested, until the age of 49 when his ailing health forced him into an early retirement. Around that time Dad also had fainting episodes due to very low hemoglobin. This led to hospitalization and the eventual diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. RA was his constant companion and taught him a lot about patience, enduring, and respecting his limits. In 1991, knee replacement surgery on both knees gave him a new lease on life and he modified his shop tools so that he could easily work in his garage without aggravating his condition. Regardless of Dad’s circumstances, pain, limited mobility, or lack of materials, Dad’s biggest concern was always for people to know Jesus and find the Salvation that Jesus so graciously and lovingly purchased for us. He would pray through illnesses and was dedicated to reading his Bible. Even though Low German was his first language, he eventually gained more understanding from his English Bible but would read Spanish, German and English Bibles within the same day. In 2013, just two weeks after Mom had a quadruple bi-pass surgery, Dad also suffered a heart attack and endured the exact same surgery. Mom and Dad sold their home in 2015 after 33 years in Blumenfeld. They downsized to South Railway but it was short-lived. Mom passed away five months after that move. It was after Mom’s passing that we began to see evidence of dementia in Dad. After a few fires on the stove, Dad getting lost walking in town, and absentminded driving, which included him getting out of his truck while it was in reverse. During this time, medical issues arose that required hospitalization. The doctors determined that he was unfit to live on his own and panelled him. He spent those first eight months between Boundary Trails and Carman Hospital until he finally got a room in Salem Home. Dad was in Salem Home for five years and we enjoyed many really good visits with him in his room and took him out as often as we possibly could. Dad was declared palliative on Tuesday March 28th and not even hours 12 hours later, he finally met Jesus.
He leaves to mourn his children and their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters and many friends. He was predeceased by his wife, parents, one brother, three sisters (two in infancy) and one grandson.
Funeral service at 2:00 p.m. on Monday April 3, 2023 at the Winkler Reinland Mennonite Church with interment at the Church Cemetery in Schanzenfeld. Many thanks to all those who have prayed for the family.
Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler
In care of arrangements
wiebefuneralhomes.com

Cremation has taken place and a private graveside service will be held together with Richard's mother's service Bernice Burkitt (nee Winkler) at Hillside Cemetery at a later date. If friends so desire, donations may be made in Rick's memory to Tabor Home Inc.

 Richard (Rick) Robert Burkitt
1955 ~ 2023
 
Rick passed away peacefully on March 29th, 2023 at Tabor Home in Morden, MB. with Ryan his nephew by his side.
 
Rick leaves to mourn his sister Sherry and his 2 nephews Adam (Marycel) and Ryan, his wife Tamara and their son Greyson.  Rick was predeceased by his mom Bernice in February 2023, his dad Elmer in August, 1984 and brother in law Ben in December 2020.
 
The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all the homecare workers who helped mom look after Rick in her home until 2018 when she was no longer able to keep him with her.  All of the Doctors, Nurses and Nurses Aids, cleaning staff, administratiive and clerical staff who did their best to keep Rick happy in Tabor.  Your kindess, patience and compassion were gratefully appreciated.
 
Cremation has taken place and a private graveside service will be held together with Richard's mother Bernice Burkitt (nee Winkler) at Hillside Cemetery at a later date.  If friends so desire memorial donations can be made to Tabor Home Inc.
 
Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden
in care of arrangements

Cremation has taken place. Memorial service will proceed as planned at 2:00PM on Wednesay, April 5, 2023 at Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden. Donations may be made in Karen's memory to the Altona Community Memorial Health Centre.


Karen Lorraine Penner
1966 ~ 2023
 Karen Lorraine Penner, “Toots” by Dad, Karen by most of us, Auntie Karen, Uncle Karen, Lorraine, but only if you were OK getting the death glare, as one nurse in Winnipeg did. Karen was born on December 10th, 1966. She was the middle child of 5 of us. 2 older brothers and 2 younger sisters. She attended the Elm Creek EMMC, was baptized on her confession of faith, by Wilbert Friesen in the Roseisle EMC in March of 1983 and later in life became a member of the St. Vital EMC. She graduated from Miami Collegiate in June of 1985.
Karen spent her first years in Elm Creek and then Roseisle. She spent lots of hours on the family farm while growing up. You could say that she was more of the type of person to rather hang out in the barn and farm work than she wanted to be in the house doing household chores. She would go along with whoever was picking up bales from the field and I can remember her coming home with a whole pocket full of baby mice to give to the kittens. She could pick up snakes and it was like no big deal.
Karen’s first car was a 1972 green Chevy Nova that mom and dad had bought for her. She loved that car. Oh the places that it that could go. Just at the end of its life, it didn’t go very far or very fast. We just hoped it would get us home. We were working in Morden at the sewing factory at the time. So it got a few miles from north of Roseisle to Morden and some Sunday nights cruising in Winkler.

Karen left her job at the sewing factory in august of 1988. She wanted to attend nursing school at ACC in Brandon. She did well and really enjoyed school. When her year was up and she was waiting for all of her paperwork to go through, she went on a 7 week tour of missionary life in Paraguay, South America. She came home with stories of adventures that she had and she was ready to go back. She worked at the Lion’s Prairie Manor in Portage while getting everything in order and getting ready to leave.
Then there was RGBI. (Rio Grande Bible Institute) in Texas. First was a year of language training. In her year of training she had some health issues but overcame those with surgery and continued on with the plans to head south. Once in Paraguay she soon got to work. Met many wonderful people and made lots of connections to a country that was going to be her home for a long time. Even to this day, she has continued to connect with the people she had gotten close to. She was a friend to many people and well loved by kids and adults. Her stories have kept many people entertained and she had lots of them.
Her dreams of going back to Paraguay after the furlough were dashed when that August, while at camp, she experienced a life altering event. She had a herniated disk rupture and her spinal cord was severed because the disk imploded instead of rupturing outward. After surgery, she had to learn a new way of life. It wasn’t an easy road and there was lots of pain and lots of doctors visits and medications.
She tried to contribute to life. She went to SBC for a semester. She worked in Neepawa for a few years. She helped people with disabilities find things to make their lives less difficult with health care aids. Karen moved to Winnipeg in 2005 to take training at Booth college and later switch to U of W. She was really trying to get a degree in sociology, but health issues got in the way of completing that task. She spent some time working at the Canadian Paraplegic Society. She loved helping people. Sometimes she gave great advice. Sometimes the advice she gave, she should have been practicing herself. She was a nurse she would always tell everyone. Giving advice, but practicing what you preach should go hand in hand.
As one of the siblings, I knew she loved her nieces and nephews and spent time with them. From lego to movies, crafting ideas, to the swimming pool in her apartment building in Winnipeg, to spending time at our homes, she would take care of the kids. It got more difficult and all of our kids got older and didn’t need the auntie Karen, or as Bentley calls her, Uncle Karen babysitting service. She loved them. She always told everyone, however, that I gave her the best birthday gift she could have ever asked for. Our oldest son, Jonathon, has the same birthday as her. They got to share one last birthday cake this past December, in the hospital in Altona.
Karen was a collector of many things and didn’t get rid of anything. She enjoyed reading and had a huge collection of books. Her favorites were autobiographies of people that had travelled their faith journey. Someone asked her if she had ever thought of writing her own story. “No, her stories would go with her when she was gone.” But I think her story will continue to live in each one of us who have been part of her life.
Since March 22nd of 2022 – when Karen went into the hospital, for basically what has been, for the rest of her time here on earth, she talked with patients in the hospital, she talked with the staff. She fought to get better, but her body had different ideas. When she told me of her decision to discontinue having anymore antibiotics to deal with all the infections she was having, there was such a peace in her voice and about her. She felt that was one thing she did have control of. Although it didn’t happen the way she wanted. She went off antibiotics on January 16th and was fully prepared to be gone by the end of January. She didn’t and she continued to live and her body did weird things and it was surviving and that messed with her because she wanted to go and see Jesus. She finally got to leave all of the pain and sickness behind on March 29th when she got to see her dream of seeing Jesus become a reality.
Karen is survived by her mom, Mary Penner of Morden, Brothers Larry (Elenor) Penner, of Coaldale, Alberta, Brian (Jen) Penner, of Carberry, Sisters Ang (Darren) Nickel of Altona, Phyl (Marty) Marin, of Morden. Nephews, Kyle, wife Crystal, Caleb, Noah, Jonathon, Zachary, Owen and Bentley. Nieces Chelsey husband Eric and Rachel, husband Jordan. Great Nephews, Ethan, Andrew and Levi. Great Nieces, Natalie, Ainsley and Mikayla. Karen was predeceased by her father, George in February 2014.
She also leaves behind her really good friends, Carla Harder, Val Zacharias, Faith Krahn, Sharon Voth, Sharon Zacharias. These women were good for her soul. They loved her, they spent hours in conversation, and they supported her. They were important to her and as a family we want to thank them for their support and love for her.
We are also very thankful to the staff at Altona Hospital. Your love and care for Karen over these last 6 months has been amazing. She loved you all. You teased and cared for her. You sang and danced for her. You made her laugh and encouraged her and through her depressing days. You reminded her that she was a nurse when there was something she was doing that she shouldn’t have been doing. You showed your concern for her when she was at some of her lowest days. Altona has an amazing hospital, with exceptional staff.
We also want to say thank you to the congregation of the St. Vital EMC. Thank you for your care and love for Karen. You cared for her. You checked up on her. You were her church family and she loved being a part of the church. Jerry, thank you for all of your pastoral hospital visits. Your prayers with and for her. We appreciate you.
Thank you for all for coming to be a part of todays celebration of life for Karen. You have all been impacted by Karen in some way. Whether it’s family or friends, she would have told you in these last days, you were important to her and she loved you. She would also probably ask you if you knew Jesus and if He was part of your everyday life. Thank you for the prayers, some of you that could visit with her, the cards that were sent and the support that you are to us as a family.
Although death may separate us from each other, we have hope in the One who has created us and knit us together for a purpose. Each day Karen struggled in the last months was a reminder, that as long as we have breath from God, we have purpose. Our prayer, as a family is that you live in that purpose and use it. It’s God’s gift.

​Kenneth “Kenny” Robert Unger passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at his home in Frago ND in the care of his family and Hospice after a long and courageous battle with Crohns.
Funeral Services for Kenny will be on Monday, April 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, 601 6th Street NE in Devils Lake, ND with Reverend Lori Pankratz officiating. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. 
Kenny was born on January 10, 1982 in Devils Lake ND to Jody Unger. He was baptized at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake. He attended Sweetwater Elementary School and Central Middle School and finished his education in Hope ND, graduating in May of 2000.  Kenny was confirmed in Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hope.
Kenny enjoyed cooking for his family and friends and worked as a cook when he was able. He liked trying new recipes and making up his own. Most recently he was the chef at LaCantina in Mayville ND.
Kenny spent many hours listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with his many friends. His favorite pastime was watching his favorite football team- The Raiders.
Kenny was preceded in death by his Grandpa John Unger, cousin Larissa Unger, along with his great grandparents, great aunts, great uncles in the Unger and Horner families.
Kenny will be forever loved and missed by his mother Jody Schumann (Rich Bring) of Fargo; grandmother Myrna Unger, Devils Lake; uncles Perry Unger, Devils Lake, Jon (Cindy) Unger, Tower City ND and cousin Krystal (Nathan) Munter, Moorhead MN and extended family of Unger great aunts, great uncles, cousins and Horner great aunts, great uncles and cousins and many special friends.
Casket Bearers will be Taustin Harrington, Eric Costello, Wyatt Russell, Tim Gratton, Josh Balstad and Jerry Barrett. Honorary Bearers will be Taylor Harrington, Samantha Lura, Jesse Lura, Shane Jura, Rachel Balstad, Janeen Russell, Brandon Johnson, Elizabeth Schurig, Andrew Corey, Joey Sebastian, Nancy Hagiwara, Katie and Marty Eliason, Brian Ensrud, Jenny Schjervheim, Gerald Dausch, Duane Larry, Terry Cotton and family, Todd Gratton and all his many friends.
Thank you to Sanford Doctors and Staff, Hospice of the Red River Valley and Amanda Schmieg for all the special care given to Kenny.

​Michael Scott Bjornson, age 52 of Grand Forks, ND, formerly of Saint Thomas, ND passed away on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at his home in Grand Forks.
Michael Bjornson was born January 26, 1971 in Park River, ND, the son of the late Darrell and LuJune (Papenfuss) Bjornson.  The family moved to Saint Thomas in 1975 where attended school, graduating from Saint Thomas High School in 1989.  He went on to attend Northland Community and Technical College in East Grand Forks, MN.  Following his education, he returned to Saint Thomas and worked with his dad at Saint Thomas Flying Service.  He also worked for Heritage Ford, Swanson Motors. He was united in marriage to Wendy McDonald on May 1, 1999.  He then worked as an over the road trucker for his dad and S & S Transport. Most recently he worked for American Crystal Sugar and Simplot after moving to Grand Forks in 2020.
He had a passion for racing and started racing Hobby Stocks in the early 1980’s.  He moved to racing Late Models in 1988 which he continued racing until 2002.  After he stopped competing, he still enjoyed attended races at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.  He also enjoyed camping, spending time with family and friends and playing with the family dogs.
Mike is survived by his children: Blake Bjornson, Grafton, ND, Natalie Bjornson, Grand Forks, ND and Jaxon Bjornson, Grafton, ND; brothers: Mathew Bjornson(Jennipher VanHorn), West Fargo, ND and Tim (Taryn) Bjornson, Grafton, ND; as well as several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and 2 great nephews with one more on the way.  He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, April 2, 2023 from 3-5 PM with a prayer service at 5:00 PM at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton.  Inurnment will be at the Saint Thomas City Cemetery in the spring.