Mary Bolstad

Mary Evangeline Bolstad, 91, of Moorhead, MN, was born October 15, 1920, in Clyde, ND, and passed away on February 26, 2012, in San Clemente, CA. She was married for 27 years to Harold Bolstad, until his death in 1973. Ten years later she married Neil Johnson. They were married for 26 years until Neil's death in 2009.
Mary is survived by her sister, Nancy; and her four daughters, Janatha, Katherine, Patricia, and Heidi; as well as 8 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She also had a son Sheldon who died in 1977.
It is difficult to imagine anyone leading as full a life as our mom. Not only did she continue to manage a farm after her first husband's death, she raised us kids and still found time to volunteer at her church and spent many hours working for the Republican Party in her district. This amazing woman won Clay County Farm Woman of the Year in 2004. She enjoyed music, supporting the arts and literature. She wrote journals throughout her life and a book of poems that we enjoy reading and rereading.
Perhaps one of her greatest loves, however, was education. Mary worked as a teacher in Hecla, SD, and Borup, MN, a counselor at NDSU and was constantly continuing her own education. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1942 and then earned a Masters Degree in 1970 and another Masters in 1974.
Mary traveled extensively. Most travel was for relaxation, but as one would expect from mom, she traveled to even further enhance her knowledge of people and the world. She was one of the first to travel to China when tourism opened up in 1979. At age 80, she was riding elephants in Nepal. Throughout all this, she was supportive of anyone who needed help. Mother set an example we can only try to emulate.
Visitation: Friday, 4 - 6 PM, Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead.
Funeral: Saturday, March 10, 2012; at 11 AM, in Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Moorhead.
Burial: Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Moorhead.