Ellen C. Woyen, 97, of Esmond and Maddock, ND, died Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford, ND.  Funeral services will be Monday, March 21, 2011,  11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Esmond with Pastor Harold Ovre officiating.  Burial will be later in the spring at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Esmond. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 7pm at the  Nelson Funeral Home in Maddock and Monday at the church an hour before the funeral.  Casket bearers will be:  Peter Woyen,  Chad Woyen,  Travis Woyen,  Steven Woyen,  Mark Woyen and Perry Thom.  Music will be from Arlyss Bergrud, soloist with Margaret Toso, organist.

Ellen Christine Kjall was born June 8, 1913 in Isabel Township in Benson County,  rural Esmond, ND, the daughter of Gust and Hanna (Bjurstrom) Kjall.  She was raised in Isabel Township and graduated from the Isabel High School.  Ellen attended Valley City Teachers College and taught at the Hesper and Isabel Schools.  She married Palmer A. Woyen on June 20, 1937 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Esmond.  They farmed and raised three children in Isabel Township until retiring and moving into Esmond in 1972.  Palmer passed away July 6, 1992.  Ellen later moved to an apartment in Maddock and then to the Maddock Memorial Home.  She spent her last years at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford, ND.

Ellen was baptized and confirmed at the Vasa Swedish Lutheran Church, rural Esmond, ND.  After her marriage, she became a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where she was active in Sunday School and the WELCA.

Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law:  Claudine and Neil Knatterud of Bismarck; sons and daughter-in-law:  Edward and Karen Woyen of Esmond and Aaron Woyen of Bismarck;  grandchildren:  Mary Ellen and Dennis Pickard of Katy, TX,  Heidi Marie and Perry Thom of Golden Valley, MN,  Peter Woyen of Fargo,  Chad Woyen of Kearney, NE,  Travis and Beata Woyen of Moorhead,  Kristi Tangelin of Fargo,  Steven and Eileen Woyen of Louisville, OH and  Mark Woyen of Bismarck;  and great-grandchildren:  Bethany (Pickard) and Erik Weiler,  Brittany Pickard,  Bretlynn Pickard,  Anna Thom,  Evan Woyen,  Alexander Woyen and Jacobi Woyen.

She was preceded in death by her parents;  husband;  sisters:  Edith Halvorson and Vivian Lalum;  a brother:  Arvid Kjall; and daughters-in-law:  Sharon Woyen and Jane Woyen.



Condolences:

I wish to express my condolences to the Woyen children on the death of their mother. I didn't know your Mom personally, except who she was. But, as a child every time I saw her I thought she looked very elegant. It's hard to lose a mother, but I know you will be comforted by your good memories of her.    Ilene (Guttromson) Iverson-Olson