Thelma Kouba, 91, Dickinson, died Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Thelma’s funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Friday, February 5, 2010 at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dickinson with Rev. Steven Tangen and Rev. Lisa Lewton officiating. Interment will take place at 1 p.m., at the Beach City Cemetery, Beach. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.
Thelma Nodland was born July 12, 1918 on the family farm in Dunn County, the daughter of Cornel and Anna (Brown) Nodland. She was Baptized and Confirmed at Vang Lutheran Church. She attended the Renville Country Grade School and graduated from Werner High School. Thelma went on to attend Dickinson State Teachers College and Minot State Teachers College where she earned her teaching certificate. She had taught elementary school Wibaux, Mont., and Golva.
While in Golva she met Edward J. Kouba and they were married on September 14, 1949 at Vang Lutheran Church, south of Dunn Center. They lived on a farm north of Golva where together they farmed a variety of crops and raised Shorthorn cattle, and their three children, John, Terry and Karen. They later moved to Dickinson when Ed semi-retired in the 1970’s.
While in the Golva area they belonged to the First Lutheran Church in Beach and then in Dickinson became members of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she was active in the quilting club. Thelma was active in the Sunset Senior Center, she enjoyed playing cards, loved games, dancing, cooking, baking, gardening and growing flowers.
Thelma and Ed became residents of the St. Luke’s Home on November 1, 2005. Here she met many friends and was still active in Bible study, playing games and cards up to her short illness and death. She will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
Thelma is survived by three children, John (Mary) Kouba, Beach, Terry (Judee) Kouba, Fort Meyers, Fla., and Karen Stewart, Fargo; three grandchildren, Hope, Marcy and Andy; two great-grandchildren, Heaven and Chloe; one sister, Cordella Kremer, Dickinson; one brother, Luther (Hazel) Nodland, Bismarck; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ed on August 10, 2008, and her sister, Lillian. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson.
