Alta I. Lee

Alta Ingeborg (Olson) Lee, age 95, of Fargo, ND, died peacefully, surrounded by family on April 30, 2011. Alta, one of 14 children of Martin and Selma Olson, was born July 23, l915, at home and grew up on the Olson homestead seven miles south of Geneseo, ND. She attended Woodlake School.

On August 16, 1934, she married the love of her life, Halvor Lee. They lived on several area farms before buying their own farm nestled on a hillside two miles south of Tewaukon Lake. After her husband died in 1976, Alta continued to live on the farm, and then moved to Lidgerwood, ND, in l989. In 1997, she moved to Fargo, and had resided at Trollwood Village, Bethany Towers, and Elim Rehab & Care Center.

In each place she lived, Alta created a warm, welcoming home filled with love for everyone. Alta so enjoyed having company, and liked cooking for others. She was known for her yummy sugar cookies and delicious scalloped potatoes. She also shared her love with gifts of handmade, beautifully designed quilts and embroidered dishtowels. However, the gift everyone valued most, was Alta's gift for listening with her heart. She nourished all she met with gentle words, hugs, and humor. On the other hand, she'd pull out all stops to beat one in a competitive game of Scrabble or Rummikub!

Alta appreciated the beauty in life and nature, and captured this beauty in artistic ways. She took many photos of flowers, fruits and vegetables raised on the farm; and birds, sunrises and sunsets she enjoyed. For ten years she used this artistic flair to help her daughter, Mary, create beautiful paper angels with copper hair.

Alta loved being a mom and a grandmother. She cherished all her offspring, and each grandchild has his or her own stories to tell about playful adventures with Grandma and times when they laughed themselves silly! Alta retained her youthful habit of liking to have fun and giggling! It was a habit; age did nothing to change this.

Alta will be forever loved, remembered, and missed. Her family will carry with them the values she held: Enjoy work; Take time to be in nature; Listen to the music (dance whenever you can!); Love others; Give to others; and Be grateful. Life is good!

She is survived by her children, Marvin (Donna), Denver, CO, Joyce (James) Phillips, Allen, TX, Lenay (Harlis) Langager, Mesa, AZ, Gayle (Robert) Nelson, Crookston, MN, and Mary (Lynn) Jordheim, Fargo; daughter-in-law, Bonnie Lee, Bismarck, ND; and special nephew, Lee (Cecelia) Vikdal, Frederick, CO . She was the proud grandmother of twenty-one grandchildren: Michael (Lori) Lee, Anita (Andrew) Bronson, Amy (Doug) Oslund, Jodie (Jason) Gange, Julie (Brad) Eilers, Charlotte (David) Gray, Brent (Mary) Lee, Rorie (Ceeham) Lee, Calvin (Cheryl) Lee, Monica Lee, Michelle Beebee, Heidi (Scott) McCarthy, Jill (Doug) Greenberg, Traci (Kevin) Burke, John (Susan) Hoppa, Stuart (Lolita) Langager, Trish (Ryan) Driedger, Leigh (Adam) Edwards, Britt Nelson, Wyatt (Kira) Jordheim, and Mckenzie Jordheim. She is also survived by forty-four great-grandchildren; eleven great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Myrtle Nelson, Hilda Olson, and Thelma Jones; and sisters-in-law, Inga Olson and Irene Olson.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; seven brothers; three sisters; two sons, Jerry "Jerome" and Robert; a grandson, Todd Lee; granddaughter, Dawn Lee; and great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Lee.

A Celebration service will be held at Hope Lutheran Church, South Campus, Fargo, on Friday, May 6, 2011, at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be at the church, one hour before the service. Interment will be Saturday, May 7, at 12:00 at the Bergen Cemetery, rural Lidgerwood.

The family requests that memorials be sent to Hospice of the Red River Valley or Elim Rehabilitation and Care Center.