6-13-20 Obituaries
Wanda Claire
Nielsen
Dec. 13, 1922 – June 8, 2020
Wanda Claire Nielsen,
97, died at Bethany
Homes in Fargo on June 8,
2020. Wanda was born
in Des Moines, Iowa on
December 13, 1922 the
daughter of Dewey and
Vera Christina Carlson
Marshall. After her father
was killed in the line of
duty as Sheriff of Polk
County, Iowa, Wanda
and her mother lived with
her Uncle Gail and Aunt
Selma Hoffman and her
cousin Clark, who became
a brother to her: a life
long relationship. She
graduated from high
school in Ames, Iowa in
1940. She obtained a B.S.
degree in Dietetics from
Iowa State University in
1944. She married Al-
bert Milton Nielsen on
December 18, 1943 in
Kansas City, Missouri.
Milt later said that
“Wanda was the best in-
vestment he ever made”.
After WWII they moved
to Rugby in 1944 where
they raised their 4 chil-
dren and numerous dogs
and cats. Wanda was the
#1 supporter of her
husband’s business The
Rugby Creamery. In 2016
she moved to the Bethany
Homes in Fargo..
Wanda’s favorite joys
were her family, birding,
flower gardening, coffee
with her many friends
and entertaining. Wanda
was loved by many in
Rugby. Her energy
spread between First
Lutheran Church, the Girl
and Boy Scouts , Good
Samaritan Hospital Auxi-
liary and Hospice, Prairie
Village Museum, Heart of
America Library and
many other organizations
in the community. She
was honored by the Rug-
by Jaycees with a lifetime
service award, the Good
Samaritan Hospital Auxi-
liary award, an award
from the Rugby Chamber
of Commerce and the
Silver Beaver Award from
the Boy Scouts. . A very
important project that
Milt and Wanda support-
ed was Metigoshe Minis-
tries. In later years, Wan-
da became an avid NDSU
fan.
Wanda is survived by
her children: Al and Bev
Nielsen – Horace, North
Dakota and their children
Marc (Wendy) Nielsen,
Chris (Tina) Nielsen, Bet-
sy (Kyle) Debertin; Dewey
and Darlene Nielsen – Ox-
ford, Iowa and their chil-
dren Anthony (Erin) Niel-
sen and Kayla (Bryan)
Nehring; Nancy and Lau-
rance Heger Under-
wood, North Dakota and
their children Mike (Tale-
sa) Heger, Joseph(Sarah)
Heger, and Steven (Katie)
Heger. She also leaves a
son-in-law Jim Meehan
Chazy, New York and his
children Pat (Liz) Meehan
and Sam Meehan. She
had 28
great-grandchildren and a
very special cousin (
brother), Clark Hoffman
Mercer Island, Wash-
ington. She was preceded
in death by her beloved
husband, Milt Nielsen ,
her parents, her beloved
daughter Ann Maureen
Meehan and her precious
granddaughter Alyssa
Nielsen.
Funeral services will be
held at First Lutheran
Church in Rugby on Mon-
day, June 15 at 1:00 P.M.
Visitation will be held at
the church for an hour
prior to the service. Rev.
Sharon Baker will offici-
ate while Craig Wollen-
berg and Pam Anderson
will provide music.
Wanda’s grandchildren
will carry her casket for
burial at Persilla Watts
Cemetery in Rugby fol-
lowing the service.
Even though Covid-19
restrictions have been
somewhat relaxed, guests
are urged to observe social
distancing and to wear fa-
cial coverings if possible.
On line tributes at
Niewoehner Funeral
Home – Rugby
701- 776-6222
Claudette
Smette
Mar. 8, 1945 – June 3, 2020
Claudette Smette, 75,
Jamestown, ND died
Wednesday evening June
3, 2020 at her home in
Jamestown surrounded by
family.
Claudette J. Oppen was
born March 8, 1945 at
Rugby, North Dakota the
daughter of Claude Oppen
and Bertha (Olson) Op-
pen. She received her ele-
mentary education in
Berwick and Rugby. She
graduated from the Rugby
High School in 1963. She
then attended University
of ND graduating with
majored in Physical Edu-
cation and a minor in
Math. She started work-
ing at Pittsville, WI where
she taught and coached.
She and David H.
Smette were married June
15, 1968 in the First Luth-
eran Church at Rugby,
ND. They lived in Dug-
way, UT while Dave was
serving in the US Army.
They then made their
home in Random Lake,
WI where she taught and
coach from 1969-1973.
They returned to ND
where Dave served as a
school superintendent. In
1983 she started V&S
Variety Store in Hazen,
ND which she owned and
operated until 1989. They
moved back to Wisconsin
living in Menomonie. In
2003 they moved to
Jamestown where they
have continued to resid-
ed.
She was member of
Atonement Lutheran
Church in Jamestown,
and Jamestown Regional
Medical Center Auxiliary.
Claudette enjoyed gar-
dening, fishing and camp-
ing. She also showed her
talents in cake decorating,
cooking and making
ceramics.
Surviving are her hus-
band David, Jamestown,
ND, two daughters, Can-
dance Howe and Pamela
Smette, three grandchil-
dren Melissa, Seth and
Marie, one sister, Lois
Anderson, her blood sister
Jeanie Baglien.
She was preceded in
death by her parents, 1
grandson, Ethan, 1 sister
Connie, 2 brothers, Robert
and Richard.
Funeral Service will be
at 11:00 AM Monday in
the Haut Funeral Chapel
in Jamestown, ND with
Rev. Linda Schauer, offi-
ciating. Claudette’s ser-
vice will be video record-
ed to be view on the fun-
eral home website.
Prayer Service: 7:00
PM Sunday evening at the
Funeral Home
Visitation 1-8 Sunday at
the Funeral Home
Interment will take
place at 2:00 PM Tuesday
at the Bloomfield Luth-
eran Cemetery at Upham,
ND.
In Lieu of Flowers fami-
ly prefers memorials to
JRMC Hospice and Anne
Carlsen Center.
Arrangements are by
the Haut Funeral Home
and Celebration of Life
Center in Jamestown, ND.