Margaret Ongstad

Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at Bethany Lutheran Church for Margaret Alice Ongstad, 92, Rugby, who died Monday, June 1 at the Heart of America Long Term Care Center.

Burial was in the Wolford Community Cemetery.

Margaret was born Nov. 11, 1916 in the rural farm home of her parents near Wolford, the daughter of Harvey and Olivia (Sawyer) Fox. She was raised in the rural Wolford home of her parents and attended country grade school near her home. She completed her education at Wolford High School. She was once married to Daniel Helmuth. Margaret lived a short time in Indiana and later returned to Wolford with her children. On Nov. 3, 1951 she married Orville “Bud” Ongstad in Rugby. The couple purchased a farm near Wolford where they farmed and had a dairy herd. Margaret worked outside the home as a cook for the Wolford School and later in housekeeping at the Harold S. Haaland Home in Rugby. Bud died March 12, 1987. Following his death, she moved to an apartment in Rugby. In January of 2008 she moved to the Haaland Estates. She had been a resident of the long term care center since May 7 of this year.

She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church and its WELCA and a former member of Wolford Lutheran Church and its WELCA.

She is survived by her children, Samuel Helmuth, Judy Yoder and Maynard Helmuth, all of Sarasota, Fla.; and Elwood Ongstad, Wolford; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Marian Johnson, Rugby, and Phyllis Conover, Williston; and other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter, Donnis Busch; two sisters, Helen Phelps and Dorothy Yoder; and her parents.

Rev. Mike Pretzer officiated. Organist was Barb Lee and soloist was Teri Shomento.

Casketbearers were Pete Burgard, Gerald Koble, Nile Yoder, Lonnie Anderson, Rodney Johnson and Adam Ellingson.

Arrangements by Anderson Funeral Home, Rugby.