Funeral services for Ragna Earsley, 86, of Hettinger, ND will be Monday, Feb. 26, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Kathleen Dettmann will officiate and burial will be at the Rose Hill Cemetery near Reeder, ND. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday morning.


RAGNA ALETTA KLEV was born on July 23, 1920 to Wilhelm and Lena (Steffenson) Klev in Lightning Creek Township, south of Reeder, ND. She received her elementary education in a country school and graduated from Reeder High School in 1939. Ragna worked as a clerk for several stores and was married to Raymond Wothe in 1941. They moved to Seattle, WA and worked for Boeing until the spring of 1944, when they returned to Reeder where they engaged in farming. Ray passed away on Dec. 19, 1982. Ragna then married Russell Earsley on May 19, 1984. They continued to live on her farm. Russell passed away on May 3, 1993. In the fall of 1993, Ragna moved to Hettinger, ND. She was very active in many activities, including volunteer work by reading at school; she fixed hair at the Nursing Home and assisted with playing Bingo. Ragna was also active in the "Women Alone". She was the church organist for 49 years at both the Zion Lutheran Church in Reeder and then Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hettinger. Ragna enjoyed bowling, traveling and especially helping others.


Ragna Earsley passed away on February 22, 2007 at the Hillcrest Care Center in Hettinger.


Grateful for having shared in her life are her daughter, Lynda (Gary) Schwartz, of Reeder; step son, Allan (Virginia) Earsley, Reeder; grandchildren, Paul (Sara) Schwartz, Tanya Schwartz, Dawn (Shannon) Sveund, Shane (Nikki) Wothe and Josh Wothe; great grandchildren, Payton and Carter Schwartz, Colleen and Sam Sveund; step grandchildren, Shelley Earsley, Brent (Anne) Earsley and step great grandson, Tanner Earsley. Preceding Ragna in death were her parents Wilhelm and Lena Klev, brother, Gilman Klev, two husbands, Raymond Wothe and Russell Earsley and a son, James Wothe. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established by her family.


Funeral arrangements are entrusted with the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger.