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Ilene Delores (Mittlestadt) Kowis, 87 passed away on October 27, 2024 at the Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger, ND.

Mass of Christian Burial for Ilene will be Monday, November 4, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. MT at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.  Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning prior to the Mass at the Church.  Rev. Greg Hilzendeger will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery.

Ilene Delores Mittlestadt was born on November 27, 1936 in Dunn County, ND at home to Johnny and Rose (Kupper) Mittlestadt.  She started in a country school until 1946 when the family moved into Killdeer, ND.  Ilene graduated from Killdeer High School in 1954.

She was employed by Wetches Grocery Store in Killdeer from 1952-1954.  Ilene was married Robert G. Kowis at St. Joseph's Church in Killdeer on January 13, 1955.  They moved to Tioga in 1955 to work in the oil field, living in Lignite, Watford City, Keene, and Charleson, ND before moving to Dickinson in 1961.

When mom wasn't in the kitchen cooking, baking and canning for her growing family of 7 children she would even find time with some babysitting of other people's kids, iron clothes for others and then finally found a job at Christy's Floral learning how to do flower arranging which she loved dearly.  In 1973 the decision was made to move out of Dickinson to Reeder, ND where Bob found a new job at Southwest Machine and Welding as a welder.

Ilene was first employed with Reeder Produce grocery store.  She then worked part time as a librarian at the Adams County Library in Reeder from 1977-2008. While still working at the library she started working as a cook at the Reeder Public school from 1985-1991.

After Bob passed away in 2009 Ilene moved to a house in Hettinger in 2010 which was next door to daughter, Deb Molbert.

Ilene had several passions but the one that was for a lifetime was her poetry writing. Her goal with her poetry was to finalize her work by putting her poems into publication. She had her very first poem called "Red Sand" published in a nationally recognized poetry book called "Celebration of Poets".  On August 14, 2022 her first book was published called "Serenity".

She wasn't done yet. On August 11, 2023 she published her second and final book called "Legacy".  With that love of writing, she also had written two songs, one called "Alone" and the other "Six Pack To Go", which were produced on a single vinyl record on September 21, 1972.

In Ilene's later years after the kids were all moved away Bob and her found so much fun going to casinos and playing her favorite nickel slot machines. Mom had a lucky streak in her almost every visit to a casino. She walked away with more winning than not.

During her quiet times when she was alone, she loved watching her old western TV shows and game shows. She was an avid reader, loved her crossword puzzles, did many coloring pages and solitaire on her I-pad and polka danced to her favorite Polka show every week.

Ilene was preceded in death by spouse Bob Kowis, father Johnny Mittlestadt, mother Rose Kupper, sister Evelyn Hanson, sons-in-law Allen Markegard and Rodney Molbert, great-grandson Dylan Jahner, great-granddaughter, Isabel O'Brien, and great grandson Ethan Novosad.

Leaving behind are her children, Deborah Molbert, Pamela (Bob) Sivak, Della Christensen, Dean (Irene) Kowis, Allan (Rebecca) Kowis, Paulette (Tedde) Blunck, and Wally (Kara) Kowis. Brothers, Gary (Sue) Mittlestadt, and David Mittlestadt and Dar; 19 Grandchildren; 40 Great Grandchildren; 2 Great-Great Grandchildren and one due in December.