October 26, 2011

Florence Sjol Wollan

Florence Junice was born to Melvin O. and Alice (Spokely) Johnson on April 24, 1916, in Deering, N.D. Her family moved to Sanish, where she attended school, and they later moved north of Van Hook. After her school years, Florence worked for various families in the area.
Florence married Soren Sjol on March 28, 1936, in Underwood. They lived there and in Max until moving to Williston, where Soren worked at the Farmers Union Locker Plant. In 1945, they moved to Van Hook, where they took over Sjol’s Market. They were members of Bethany Lutheran Church, where Florence taught Sunday School and belonged to Ladies Aid.
When Van Hook was flooded by the Garrison Dam, they moved to New Town, where they relocated the grocery store. They were charter members of Bethel Lutheran Church.
Florence loved cooking and was a very inventive cook. She always had a supply of chocolate cookies and doughnuts in the freezer for her children and their friends. Florence was also a wonderful seamstress, and sewed for many people, besides sewing most of her own and her children’s clothing. She was a carpenter who built many of the features in their home.
Florence was a whiz at crossword puzzles, and also loved to play cards. Many evenings there were friends in the kitchen playing whist, gin, or pinochle. She belonged to a women’s poker club that played cards together. Florence belonged to two bowling leagues and was a very good bowler.
Soren died in 1975. Florence married George Wollan on Nov. 14, 1981. They made their home in New Town. Florence loved to dance, as did both of her husbands, and usually went dancing once a week. She lost a leg in 1989, but that didn’t keep her down for long.
In 2000, they moved to Minot. George died in 2002. Florence continued to live in Minot until 2007, when she moved into the Good Samaritan Assisted Living in New Town. Until a month before her death, Florence still liked to go out and eat with her children. She especially liked going to the Casino. Florence played cards in the Bridge Club, went out to play Bingo, and played cards every evening with fellow residents.
Florence is survived by a son, Dennis (Gail) Sjol of Minot; two daughters, Ardis (Lane) Evans of Stanley, and Carol (Glenn) Amiot of New Town; nine grandchildren; David (Julie) Sjol of Rugby, Tracy (Dan) Dove of Jamestown, Paula (Tony) Benham of Minot, Chad Sjol of Minot, Stacy (Bill) Coughlin of Stanley, Mike (Ilene) Evans of Vancouver, Wash., Scott Evans of Stanley, Jennifer (Marv) Kranz of Minot, Becky (Chad) Garmann of Watford City; 19 great-grandchildren; Chris (Kiki) Sjol, Jenessa (Travis) Fritel, Brandon (Summer) Schmitcke, Kristy Schmitcke, Ethan and Abigail Benham, Darcy (Josh) Buerkle, Ashley Coughlin, Richard Coughlin, Corey Evans, Cody Evans, Jordan Evans, Alexis and Cody Kranz, Dayton Connor, Brianna, Brandi, Bailey, and Casey Garmann; five great-great-grandchildren; Parker, Serra, and Asher Buerkle, and Kayden and Jamison Schmitke; three sisters, Anna LaVelle in Texas, Joyce Schletzbaum in Washington, and Ardelle Duffy in Ohio; George’s children, Judy and Alvin Wollan of Williston, and his grandchildren, Roxanne and Collette, and his great-grandchildren.
Florence was preceded in death by her two husbands; her grandson, Troy Sjol; her parents; her brothers, Norman, Raymond, and Kenneth; and her sister, Amelia.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, at 11:00 a.m., at Bethel Lutheran Church in New Town. Burial took place in the New Town Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the Lakeside Community Living Center at New Town or the Mountrail County Medical Center at Stanley. Online condolences may be shared at www.springanfuneralhome.com.
 

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