ALICE HEIMDAHL obituary

Alice Marie (Lien) Heimdahl, 93, of Havre, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, died peacefully at her home of natural causes on Saturday, March 11, 2006, surrounded by her family.

A private prayer service was held Saturday in the chapel of Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Harvey Anderson Funeral Home Chapel in Willmar, Minn., with the Rev. Jim Notebaart officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery. A reception and celebration of Alice's Life will be held at the Blue Heron Country Club at 1 p.m.

Alice Marie (Lein) Heimdahl was born to Amos and Winifred (McIntire) Lein at home in Willmar, Minn., on Aug. 12, 1912. She attended Willmar grade schools and Willmar High School. After graduating, she attended St. Cloud Teachers College, and graduated with a degree in education. She was unable to pursue her teaching career because of a severe shortage of jobs during the depression. This caused Alice great distress as she was supposed to help her parents with financial assistance so that her siblings could get an education during those hard times. At a very early age Alice became interested in sewing. Her Aunt Carrie was a dressmaker and she had a profound career as an accomplished seamstress. Alice made many beautiful outfits for family members and friends. She worked part time for a tailor in Willmar whose customers were very wealthy. Alice was able to learn techniques and appreciated fine beautiful fabrics. She would alter and remake discards from the wealthy, for her family and friends on her mothers paddle sewing machine. Her daughters were so privileged to have original and designer clothes made especially for them by their mother. After her last child went off to school Alice got a job at Harold's Apparel, an exclusive women's store in Minneapolis. She worked there for 23 years as an alterationist before retiring.

Alice met her future husband, Finn Heimdahl in Willmar. They were married July 17, 1936, at the First Methodist Church in Willmar. Later that year, the family moved to Sioux Falls, S.D. Two years later they moved to Minneapolis. In 1943 the family moved to Havre, where Finn worked as a claim agent. In 1952, the family returned to Minneapolis and Finn was promoted to general manager of claims. In 1998, the couple moved back to Havre to be near family. They were married for 67 years.

Alice was a life member of the Methodist Hospital Auxiliary and longtime volunteer, and member of the Aldersgate Methodist Church in St. Louis Park, Minn., Sons of Norway, St. Louis Park Women's Club Excursion Group, Elderhostel. In her later years, she was a member of Fifth Avenue Christian Church and was the senior member of the Bear Paw Babes Chapter of the Red Hat Society in Havre.

From early childhood, Alice had a passion for reading and learning. Education was very important to her. She had an incredible memory and kept up with current events until she passed away. Family and friends were extremely important to her - she wrote letters and communicated by phone right to the end. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved all their family pets over the years. Her hobbies included dancing with Finn to the big bands, sewing, needle point, reading, refinishing furniture, cross-country skiing, hiking, cranking up her BOSE radio with beautiful music, concerts and operas. She was truly a beautiful, gracious lady, both inside and out - always impeccable in her appearance. She suffered greatly in the years before her death, but was still able to orchestrate and coordinate things that were important to her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Amos and Winifred (McIntire) Lein; husband, Finn, in 2003; brother, John Lein, in 2005; sister, Esther Knuteson, in 2005; and grandson, Matthew Finn Anderson, in 2005.

Survivors include her daughters, Shelley (Gary) Grant of Havre, Annie Heimdahl of Alexandria, Minn., Marry McIntyre of Los Angeles, Calif., Lori (Robert) Heimdahl Gibson of Los Alamos, N.M.; sons, David Heimdahl of Fargo, N.D., and Peter Heimdahl of Des Moines, Iowa; daughter-in-law, Jane Heimdahl of Des Moines, Iowa; granddaughter-in-law, Barb (Vizenor) Anderson of Monticello, Minn.; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Elizabeth (Herle) Ferrell of Sioux City, Iowa; and numerous beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bear Paw Hospice, c/o Northern Montana Hospital, 30 13th St. W., Havre, MT 59501 or to a memorial of one's choice.

Arrangements were entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.