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Margaret H. Nelson • 1918 - 2006 Margaret H. Nelson was a woman of words and action. For 50 years, she wrote a weekly newspaper column, starting with the Powers Lake Echo in 1949. She wrote for the Mountrail County Promoter and the Burke County Tribune until her retirement in January of 2000. Her biggest assignments in the newspaper business were to write about the Powers Lake Hospital when it closed in 1970 (The article made the front page of the Minot Daily News) and writing 106 stories and taking more than 100 photographs for two Burke County historical books. Years later she nicknamed herself, 'Nuisance Nelson' relentlessly reporting the news region-wide. She said, "I use a Bible, a telephone book, dictionary, and a Burke County historical book when I type my news." In her career, Margaret's purpose was to report the news, update the residents, and keep former residents of Powers Lake who subscribe to the area papers connected to their roots through her articles about life in this special place. After her retirement, Margaret's writing focused on her deep faith. Margaret lived life in a style and a length that let her know her Shepherd. Margaret was born on November 26, 1918, to Peter and Ingaborg (Pedersen) Miller, in Hillsboro, ND. Margaret was only three months old when Ingaborg passed away from an illness of the war flu raging through the country. Hillsboro neighbors took care of little Margaret until a family friend, Dr. Olaf Enget, who had met the Millers through the Baptist church arranged for her to live with the Andrew Clementon's family of Fargo. When Margaret was 11 months old the Clementons decided to move to Los Angeles. S.M. and Mary Jensen of ND took Margaret and moved to Powers Lake. Margaret left the Jensen's to finish high school at Oak Grove Lutheran School in Fargo where she was near the Miller family and her father, one brother and two sisters. Margaret and John Bjergaard of Powers Lake were married in Fargo on November 26, 1937, and Margaret graduated from high school in June of 1938. Margaret and John lived in Mentor, Minnesota, for awhile and then returned to Powers Lake where their one child, Marilyn was born. The couple divorced and Margaret and Ted Nelson were married December 22, 1955. Ted Nelson passed away May 14, 1992. Margaret did a variety of work during her lifetime. She was a caregiver for the elderly, waitress for several years, did custodial care at the hospital and the school, and painting and cleaning homes. After marrying Ted Nelson, she helped with trucking business and the couple worked tirelessly to launch the Powers Lake Senior Citizens Center, incorporated in 1974, including a meal program for seniors. Known as the sparkplug behind the center, Margaret served as president for 14 years. Later as membership volunteer, Margaret recruited 200 members (some of them snowbirds) to the senior center out of a town of 425. Margaret was honored as second runner up for queen at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Powers Lake Senior Citizen Center. She was honored in 1993 as one of the most Admired Senior Citizens in the state of North Dakota at the ND State Fair. The award recognized her involvement in the community, supporting senior citizens issues through the senior citizens center and the Silver Haired Legislature as well as keeping the news of her town highlighted in her columns in both the Mountrail County Promoter and Burke County Tribune. As a child, she was excited about children's services and singing and object lessons that the church offered. One of the most intriguing lessons was the one child, "Gospel In a Nut Shell." "The teacher came with a walnut shell, opened it up and there to my amazement was a verse John 3:16 - For God so loved the world - that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Years later, she was still intrigued at the thought and had to urge to shout it from the house tops to the lowest pit, "Whosoever." Margaret recorded her thoughts after a day of fishing (she and her husband were known as avid fisherman). The thoughts were entitled "Meditations of mine while out fishing one day." While in the hospital, Margaret penned a note to her daughter and handed it to the hospital nurse. It read: "I want to die with a fork in my hand." That means the best is yet to come! "Heaven is Dessert." Thanks for the fork, Jolene. Surviving family includes: daughter, Marilyn Ann Bjergaard Durkee, Denver, CO; four grandchildren, John Lee Durkee, Robin Ann Gayeski, James Ray Durkee and RaeAnne Lee Smith; and great-grandchildren; Roxann Nicole Durkee, Beau Michael Harrison, Joshua Peter Smith, Maralee Ann Harrison, Jonah Stephan Smith, Maranna Raelee Durkee, Marlee Anne Smith, Darylanne Michelle Durkee, James Ray Durkee, and Brandon Edward Gayeski; and great great-grandson, Matthew Christopher Mattern; and great great-granddaughter, Kylie Ann Newsome; and a great nephew, Stephen M. Van Berkom, of Bismarck, who lived with the Nelsons for a while when he was a teenager attending school. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ted; sisters, Erma Stiles and Dagney Silvola; and brother, Robert Miller. Funeral: Tuesday, October 10, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. at
Lake Assembly of God Church, Powers Lake, ND. To sign the online guest register
for Margaret |