Lila Hamre Obituary (1934 - 2013) - Mandan, North Dakota

Lila Mae Hamre, 78, of Mandan, N.D., formerly of Dickinson, N.D., died Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, at Sanford Health Sunset Drive Continuing Care Center in Mandan. A celebration of life service will be hosted at 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bismarck, N.D. with Rev. Tim Johnson and Rev. Jodi Myrvik, of Edmore, N.D. officiating. A reception will follow the service and burial will be in North Dakota Veterans Cemetery at 3 p.m. Cremation has taken place. Lila was born Dec. 25, 1934 near Adams, N.D., to Lewis and Selma (Peterson) Okeson. She was raised and educated in rural Walsh County, graduating from Fairdale High School in 1952. In 1953, after graduating from Interstate Business College in Fargo, N.D., she began working at Walsh County Bank in Grafton, N.D. In 1955 she married LeRoy Hamre of Fairdale, N.D. and began working at the First National Bank in Grand Forks, N.D. After many years of being a stay-at-home mom, when Lila was 37 years old, she enrolled at Dickinson State University. Encouraged by her six children and her husband, she earned a B.A. degree in elementary education in 1977. She taught for 20 years at Berg Elementary School in Dickinson as a Title I teacher. She enjoyed quilting, gardening, cooking, fishing, skiing, swimming, bowling and singing in church choirs. She was a member of United Church of Christ in Dickinson for 40 years. She sang in the choir and served as president of the Women's Fellowship. In 2003, Lila and LeRoy became "snow birds" in Mesa, Ariz. where she was an associate member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church. She belonged to a quilting group, Circle and a cancer support group. In 2009, Lila Mae and LeRoy moved to Bismarck. They became members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where Lila was a member of the Quilting Club and the Mary Circle. Lila was a member of: Chapter AA of P.E.O., Delta Kappa Gama, Friends of the Library, Sons of Norway, Retired Teachers, AAUW and UCT. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, LeRoy of Mandan; three daughters, Mary (Daryl) Splichal of Mandan; Susan (Don) Moser of Turner, Ore.; and Nancy (Joshua) Shirley of Fountain, Colo.; three sons, Robert (Julie) of Salem, Ore.; Richard of Laguna Beach, Calif.; and John (Marimar) of Bismarck; two sisters, Shirley Myrvik of Edmore, N.D.; and Darlene (Mosey) Flaten of Park River, N.D.; brother, Lee (Marlene) Okeson of San Diego, Calif.; sisters-in-law, JoAnn Okeson of Park River, N.D.; and Jeannie Monson of Grafton, N.D.; brother-in-law, Loren (Kathy) Hamre of Hillsboro, N.D.; 10 grandchildren: Amy and Kyle Splichal of Bismarck, N.D., Jessie, Jodi and Jaime Hamre of Salem, Ore., and Jessica, Samuel, Michael and Allison Moser of Turner, Ore. and Colton Lee Shirley of Fountain, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews. Lila was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Milo Okeson and Glenn Okeson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to P.E.O. for college scholarships for women.