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"Mom", Alberta Louise (Bender) Kirsch, 94, died peacefully on September 7, 2026, at St. Luke's Nursing Home, Dickinson, North Dakota.  Alberta began her life in Billings, Montana on April 30, 1932, as the youngest of 12 children born to Sam and Elizabeth Bender. She lived in the Billings area until she married Herman Kirsch on June 4, 1950, when she moved to the Kirsch family farm near Mott, North Dakota. She and Herman met in 1949 when he visited his aunt and uncle on their Billings farm, and attended church with them. There he noticed a young woman singing in the choir, asked his relatives about her, learned that she worked at Billings Drug, and there asked  her for a date. Soon they were engaged and writing letters after he returned to his farm, awaiting their wedding in Billings. They lived on the family farm until 1987, when they moved into Mott. Shortly after Dad died, Mom moved to Dickinson, where she lived with daughter, Kaye, until the onset of Parkinson's disease.  At that point, Park Avenue Villa Assisted Living in Dickinson became her home, until she required nursing care in 2022, and was transferred  to St. Luke's. Up until her last days, she faithfully watched Jeopardy and knew many of the answers! We learned not to call her when Jeopardy was being televised.

Mom, a city girl, adapted well to farm life, even though Grandma Bender had declared that she would starve in North Dakota!  Mom tended to large and productive vegetable gardens through the years, canning and freezing for her family, which grew to four children. Over the years, she also transformed the barren farm yard with beautiful flowers. On most summer days she could be found working hard in the garden and yard, as well as shuttling Dad back and forth to various fields of grain.  There were also cows to milk, which produced cream to sell, and to churn into butter, or to make kuchen. Milk was not just for drinking, but also turned into cottage cheese, used in Kase Knoepfla (Cheese Buttons). Mom was definitely known for her wonderful meals of not just German foods, but other baked treats and breads. There was always a feast at any holiday table and goodie boxes sent to kids away at school.

Quite often these foods were shared at church functions. After their marriage, Mom and Dad attended Neuburg Congregational Church, a few miles from the farm. Mom had noticed that Dad had a relationship with Jesus that she did not have. Shortly after they were married, she gave her heart to Jesus Christ and then too had that relationship. Out of her new joy and love for God, she shared praise for Him through her singing. There were solos and choir at church, weddings, funerals, many special events, where many were blessed with her beautiful vocals. The Gaithers gospel group was a favorite; she would have loved to sing with them—definitely good enough. She kept singing until Parkinson's finally stole her singing voice in recent years, but continud to encourage others to faith in Christ with her testimony.

Her ministry was not limited to singing at church, for she also taught Sunday School and helped with many children's Christmas programs and Vacation Bible School in the summer. Later, she and Dad were part of the charter group to form the Mott Evangelical Community Church, where she worshipped until she moved to Dickinson.  Apart from church, she was active in the Gideons' Auxiliary in the Mott and Taylor Camps since 1967. She was regarded as the Camp Mother/Grandmother and known as a faithful prayer warrior.

In the broader community, Homemaker's Club was an opportunity to meet with other farm wives, develop new skills, and share recipes. Being a leader in the Otter Creek Boosters 4-Club allowed her to help young people in the neighborhood with hands on projects and community activities. As most mothers did, she served in PTA. She loved her TOPs group, and made some of us chuckle when she skipped breakfast on weigh-in day.  After moving into town, she delivered Meals on Wheels, and probably did a good bit of visiting with those folks.

Those who preceded Alberta in death include her husband, Herman, in 2009, and her son Kevin, in 2025, as well as her siblings, Clarence Bender, Victor Bender (infant), Frederick Emil Bender, Ed Bender, Wilma Bender (infant), Hilda Beck, Martha Childers, Armon Bender, Elma Rand, Helen Meyer, and Elsie Huth. Remembering her now are daughter, Kelsie (Danny) Myers, Creighton NE; daughter-in-law, Collette (Kevin) Kirsch, Mandan ND; daughter, Kaye Kirsch, Dickinson ND; son Keith (Wanda) Valley City ND.

Alberta's grandchildren were a delight to her.  They are Nathan Myers, Kansas City MO, son of  Danny and Kelsie (Myers); Kristie (Brent) Bogar, Bismark ND; Klayton (Susanne) Kirsch, Dickinson ND; Koreen (Tim) Hammel, Hot Springs SD; KariLee (Wayne), San Tan Valley AZ, all children of Kevin and Collette. Children of Keith (Wanda) are Shawn (Tiah) Kirsch, Harrisburg SD; Heidi (Jesse) Braunagel, West Fargo ND; Ben (Taylor), Bowdon ND; and Cy (Ali) Fargo ND.  Alberta also enjoyed her ten great-grandchildren: Jacob (fiancée, Kamryn) and Isabel Kirsch (Klayton); Hope Bogar (Kristie); Terry and Tessa Hammel (Koreen); Precious and Micah Dancer (KariLee); Madison, Josiah, and Aria Kirsch (Cy).

Memorials may be directed to Samaritan's Purse or The Gideons International.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. MT at the  Mott Evangelical Church in Mott, ND on Saturday, September 12, 2026.  Service of Remembrance will be at 1:00 p.m. MT at the church with Rev. Chris Costrini officiating.  Burial will follow at Sunnyslope Cemetery in Mott, ND.