Avis Hjelle, 76
Newfolden - Avis Hjelle, 76, died Saturday, July 8, 2000 at Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday, July 12) at Westaker Free Lutheran Church in Newfolden with Rev. Peter Ward and Rev. LeRoy Flickinger officiating. Orpha Schaffhauser will be the organist, and soloists will be Gary Hodne and Rueben Haugen. Casketbearers will be Avis' grandsons, Mark Pagnac, Chris Pagnac, Howard Bjorgaard, Todd Bjorgaard, Jeremy Bjorgaard, Jonathan McGlynn, Josh Myhrer and John Bjorgaard. Burial will be in Westaker Cemetery in Newfolden township of Marshall county.
Visitation was held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11 at Green Funeral Home in Thief River Falls with a 7 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to services at the church.
Avis M. Lannoye was born on June 26, 1924 in Penn, N.D., the daughter of William and Edith (Bail) Lannoye. She graduated from Newfolden High School in 1942.
On September 26, 1942 she married Howard John Bjorgaard. He died on April 21, 1950. Avis married John R. Bjorgaard on December 27, 1954. John died on September 7, 1973. On March 18, 1978, Avis was united in marriage to Hilton Hjelle, and the couple made their home in rural Newfolden. From 1969 to 1979, she was employed at Arctic Cat.
Avis was a membr of Westaker Free Lutheran Church, the Ladies Aid, Homemakers Club and American Legion Auxiliary.
She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, quilting, painting, crocheting, fishing, reading and especially spending time with friends and family.
Avis is survived by her husband, Hilton; four daughter, Diane (Dennis) Pagnac of East Grand Forks, Carolyn (Chip) McGlynn of Osseo, Sandy (Roger) Hible of Thief River Falls and Faye Bengtson of Strandquist; three sons, Kurt (Sue) Bjorgaard of Warren, Bill (Sue) Bjorgaard of Chesapeake, Va. and Mike (Mary) Bjorgaard of Delta Junction, Alaska; 18 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.