Inez Helen Langager

WILLISTON, N.D. - Inez Helen Langager, 88, long-time Williston, N.D., and rural Epping, N.D., resident, went to be with the Lord on Friday morning, July 1, 2011, in her sleep. Friends may sign the on-line register and give their condolences at www.fulkersons.com

Her funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, at the Lutheran Brethren Fellowship Church in Williston. Pastor Ron Erickson will officiate and interment will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 7, at the Rosebud Cemetery, Absarokee, Mont. Inez Helen (Iverson) Langager, the oldest daughter of eleven children, was born on Oct. 13, 1922, to Henry and Helma Iverson on a farm in Farmvale Township of Williams County. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Tioga and attended Iverson School during her elementary years. She graduated from Tioga High School in the class of 1943.

Following high school she worked as a waitress at Helga's Café in Tioga, a clerk at Stop and Shop, and a waitress at East Broadway Café in Williston. Later she was employed at Elmer Tank's Red Owl store in Ray where she met her future husband who was a customer. She married Otto Langager on Oct. 10, 1948, at her parent's home in Tioga. Together they farmed and ranched in Oliver Township north of Epping where they raised their five children. Inez was an ambitious farmer's wife and patient mother who raised a large garden, canned, raised chickens, turkeys and geese along with maintaining the farmhouse and a home in Epping during the school months. She was a charter member of Lutheran Brethren Fellowship Church in Williston and belonged to Oliver-Rainbow Township Birthday Club.

In 1975, Otto and Inez turned the farm over to their oldest son and moved to a small farm near Billings, for their retirement years. During their retirement years she enjoyed gardening, her flowers and chickens, baking, quilting, embroidery, and practicing hospitality. Inez delighted in her many friends, her involvement at the Lutheran Brethren Church, Women's Missionary Fellowship and her Birthday Club in Billings. Otto passed away in 1996, and Inez continued to live on the small farm near Billings until she moved back to Williston in October of 2000. God blessed her with various loving care-givers during her failing health including her devoted sister June.

Inez was known for her gracious gift of hospitality and marvelous cooking. She cherished hosting many people in her home including family, friends, strangers, missionaries and visiting pastors. Her Norwegian heritage was important to her, and she loved making lefsa and many other Norwegian meats, pastries and delicacies. Her gift of mercy exemplified itself in her compassionate listening ear and was lived out through her loving care of widowed neighbor ladies, her aging father-in-law, two siblings who struggled with health issues, and her husband during his battle with brain cancer. Her life was also characterized by a servant's heart, positive attitude, sense of humor, endless generosity, hard work, and her devoted love for her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Her faith in God was of utmost importance to her. Through the influence of the Hauge Lutheran Innermission Federation and area evangelistic tent meetings, she became deeply concerned about her spiritual condition and trusted in Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord in the late 1940's. Inez lived as a devoted and tender follower of her precious Lord. She loved devotions with her family, listening to Christian radio and attending church and Bible study until her health prevented her from attending any longer.

Inez is survived by her daughters Kathryn (Leon) Lowdermilk, Epping, N.D., and Carol (Bob) Myers, Maple Valley, Wash.; sons Sanford (Nancy) Langager, Roberts, Mont., Harold Langager of Worden, Mont., and James Langager of Tacoma, Wash.; sisters Hazel Germundson, Tioga, N.D., June (Jerry) Planutis, Bridgman, Mich., Jan (Lavern) Broe, Williston, N.D., and Myrtrice Ecklund, Bismarck, N.D.; brothers Harold (Martha) Iverson, Billings, and Lester (Freida) Iverson, Columbus, Mont.; nine grandchildren Tonya (Jon) Polk, Rebecca Langager, Kaycee (Joe) Mutchler, Sam (Kaylee), Lacy, and Elly Langager, Lance and Tiffany Myers; and six great grandchildren Lily, Nicholas, Jackson, Emma, Cato and Kelby. She is also survived by brother-in-law David (Esther) Langager; sisters-in-law Ingeborg Skurdal and Marie Jensen; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Otto; her parents; sister Doris Sinness; brothers Alvin, Kenneth and Rudolph Iverson.

Well done good and faithful servant!

Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Williston on Tuesday from 9 a.m.until 7 p.m. and at the Church on Wednesday one hour prior to services.

Inez Langager