Lois Thiel

Lois Elaine Thiel, 86, a resident of Fergus Falls, died Sunday, September 25, 2011, at Lake Region Healthcare Center in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She was born September 21, 1925, at the family resort on Otter Tail Lake, Minnesota, the daughter of Max and Martha (Brandt) Starin. She grew up at the resort, and attended school at District #45, and then Battle Lake High School, graduating in 1944. She was baptized as a teenager at the Alliance Church in Battle Lake. On January 16, 1948, she married Albert P. Thiel at St. John’s Church in Wahpeton, North Dakota. They celebrated 63 years of marriage. The family lived in various places while Al worked for AT&T and later the Burlington Northern Railroad. From 1958 – 1983 they made their home in Moorhead. They moved to East Lost Lake, living there until January of 2011 when they moved to Fergus Falls. Lois loved to fish, garden, travel, do hand work, write letters, walk, and read. The lake was important to her. Spending time with her family, and especially her children and grandchildren, always brought her much joy. She was a member of the Maine Presbyterian Church, it’s choir, and the “P.W.”, and the Lake Country Sportsman Club. Preceding her in death were her parents, and one brother, Glenn Starin. Survivors include her husband, Albert, of Fergus Falls; two daughters: Brenda (Daryl) Lund of Richville, and Tanya Thiel Kavanaugh of Fergus Falls; three sons: Michael (Karen) Thiel of Moorhead, Gary (Diane) Thiel of Moorhead, and Lyndon (Betty) Thiel of Hutchinson; 13 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers: Virgil (Bernice) Starin of Fergus Falls, and Allen (Louise) Starin of Pomeroy, WA; and two sisters: Betty Collins of Kingsport, Tennessee, and Colleen (Bud) Garberg of Billings, Montana; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service, and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church Service: 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 30, 2011, at Maine Presbyterian Church, rural Underwood Clergy: Reverend Glenn Lord Interment: St. James Cemetery, rural Underwood Memorials are preferred to Maine Presbyterian Church. Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of arrangements.