Memorial services for Mildred Jennings, age 93, of Hettinger, ND will be held at 11:00 a.m. MT on Saturday, May 26, 2012 at the Centennial Chapel (former First Congregational Church) of the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger, ND. Burial of Mildred's ashes will be next to her husband, Forrest Jennings, at the Hettinger Cemetery.

Following the burial, a time of fellowship and luncheon will be held at the Hettinger Country Club.


Mildred (Davison) Jennings was born on May 28, 1918 in Lemmon South Dakota. She was raised on the family farm in Adams County and graduated from Lemmon High School in 1935. Two years later she graduated from Valley City State College with a teaching degree. Her teaching career started in Chandler Country School in rural Adams County. The original teaching contract stated: she "was to be paid a sum of $65 per month for 9 months if the district had sufficient funds, that she teach the lower and upper grades, do your own janitor work, and have good discipline at the school."


After 2 years in the country school she began teaching at Hettinger Public School where she was given a raise to $85 per month. On March 15, 1942 she married Theodore Forrest Jennings, who was shipped off to fight in December of 1943. It would be 2 years until she would see him again. Mildred taught in Hettinger for 4 years. After her 4 children were all in school she was appointed as the Adams County Superintendant of Schools, a post she held until her retirement at age 70.


Mildred was active in the Hospital Auxiliary, the Cancer Society, Order of the Eastern Star and the Congregational Church.


In 1990 she and Forrest began the task of locating his army buddies from World War II. They spent countless hours on the phone finding lost acquaintances. That year they held the first ever reunion for Ordinance Company 163 in Oklahoma City. For over 10 years, they planned and hosted reunions in locations across the country.


Mildred and Forrest built the 'red house on the hill' in Hettinger in 1949. She lived there and raised their family for over 50 years. In 2011 Mildred moved to Bozeman Montana nursing home to be closer to family.


Mildred was always a teacher. She loved to have her grandchildren and later her great grandchildren sit on her lap and read to her. She would give them math problems and then help them with the process to solve them. In her later years she discovered that she had a talent for painting. She took lessons and left her family with many priceless works of art. She loved gardening, reading, stitching, including quilts, cross stitch and embroidery projects.


Mildred passed away peacefully on November 18, 2011.


Mildred is survived by 4 children; Linda (Roger) Hanshew, Belgrade, MT, Lynn (Judy) Jennings, Orlando, FL, Jon (Karen) Jennings, Bismarck, ND and Nancy (John) Brown, Big Sky, MT; 2 brothers, Gene Davison, Hettinger, ND and Durwood (Dave) Davison, Minnesota; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren.


Mildred is preceded in death by her husband, Forrest, sisters, Alta, and Vera, brother, Neil, and grandson Dustin Garber.


Memorials may be sent to Dakota Buttes Museum – Hettinger.