Lillian Bredwick
Lillian Bredwick, 95, of Watford City, N.D., died Thursday afternoon, July 8, 2010, in the McKenzie County Memorial Hospital swing bed in Watford City. Her funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, July 16, 2010, at the Wilmington Lutheran Church in Arnegard. Pastor Tim Swenson will officiate. Cremation will follow the service. Friends are encouraged to share condolences and memories with the family online at www.fulkersons.com.
Lillian Bredwick was born on Sept. 27, 1914, south of Rawson, N.D., to Edward and Randi (Peterson) Ware. She was the youngest of four children. At the age of four, the family moved to the wonderful community of Red Wing Creek. Here, Lilly grew up loving the Badlands. She told of many happy memories and hard times. If she wasn’t home helping her family with chores, Lilly could be found barefoot in the Badlands, whether it was work or play. She would check traplines with her only brother, Melvin, and sometimes rode horseback until the midnight hour. Lilly could be found roping calves on horseback at branding time and dragging them to the fire. Melvin once hired Johnny Cash as one of his surveyors, long before Johnny got his singing career. Lily attended Red Wing Creek Country School through the eighth grade. From there she attended high school in Arnegard. She was voted Valedictorian of her graduating class.
Lilly married her friend and neighbor, Niel J. Bredwick, on June 1, 1935. The couple had two sons. Niel passed away in the summer of 1999. Lilly sold the ranch in 2001. It was difficult for her to move away from the Red Wing community that she loved so much. Lilly was under the care of her daughter-in-law, Ellen Bredwick, along with her children, Heather, Jason, Jonathon, Joya, Kyle and Mary for many years before entering the McKenzie County Hospital swing bed. Each morning Lilly got up with a song in her heart. She visited Norway twice in her life.
Lilly was a member of Wilmington Lutheran Church, and was also a Red Wing 4-H organizer and leader for 25 years. She was also a member of the Red Wing Homemakers Club, the Sons of Norway, and also took census in the Red Wing area.
Lilly is survived by her two sons, Joseph Leroy Bredwick of Missoula, Mont., and Niel Larry Bredwick of Williston, N.D.; daughter-in-law, Ellen Bredwick of Watford City, N.D.; 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 65 years, Niel; sisters, Ruth and Ethel; brother, Melvin; daughter-in-law, Dorothy Bredwick; and grandsons, T.J. Webber, Aaron Bredwick and Aaron Hardin, brother-in-law, George Shaw and sister-in-law, Mary Ware.
Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Watford City on Thursday, July 15, from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.; Friday from 10:00 a.m. until noon, and at the church one hour prior to the services.