Maxine Strand
Maxine Strand
Maxine Strand died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011, at Heart of America Medical Center where she had been a resident in long term care since 2008.
Maxine Sieber was born June 8, 1916 to Banks and Helen (McNitt) Sieber at Wolford, North Dakota. She was a valedictorian at Wolford and graduated from Jamestown College where she studied history and biology. She also worked in the college library, and enjoyed participating in theater. After graduating in 1937, Maxine took courses in library science at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Maxine taught high school in Sur-
rey and Edmore, North Dakota where she met Curtis Strand, a native of Edmore and a teacher at Audubon, Minnesota. The two were married on June 18, 1943. The Strands spent time in Florida and North Carolina before Curtis was stationed in England with the U.S. Army Air Corps to prepare for the Normandy Invasion.
During the war, Maxine taught in Casselton, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. When Curtis returned from the war, the Strands moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where he began his lifetime career in professional photography with the Everett Kroger Studio. The Strands’ son Mark was born in St. Paul. In 1948 the Strands moved to Rugby where they opened Strand Studio and their son Todd was born. Maxine retouched and hand colored photos, did framing and operated the business when Curtis was out of the studio photographing. In 1988 the Strands sold Strand Studio to Chuck and Jan Repnow who operate the business today with equal talent and enthusiasm.
Maxine was active in the Rugby Women’s Club, was a Cub Scout den mother and taught Sunday School at First Lutheran Church. She chaired the Rugby Library Board and was instrumental in building the Heart of America Library. Maxine also enjoyed reading and sewing with her neighbors and friends.
Maxine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Curtis on Feb. 7, 1992, her brother Robert, her sister Margaret and her brother Banks.
She is survived by her sons Mark, Fargo and Todd (Debra Jessen), St. Paul; grandson Reid Strand, Fargo; former daughter-in-law Heather Lindsay, Fargo; sisters-in-law Evelyn Sieber, Minot and Helen Sieber, Hershey, Pennsylvania and ten nieces and nephews.
Maxine was grateful for her many kind friends and for the expert, loving care she received at Heart of America Medical Center. Her strong will, soft heart and quick wit will be missed.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, at 2 p.m., at First Lutheran Church, Rugby.
Burial will be in Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.
Rev. Michael Pretzer will officiate. Special music will be provided by the Repnow Family, Charles, Jan, and Lydia.
Visitation will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 from 3-9 p.m. at Niewoehner Funeral Home, and for one hour prior to services at the church on Sunday.
The family requests that memorials go to the Heart of America Library or the Heart of America Medical Center.
Arrangements by Niewoehner Funeral Home, Rugby.