Cora Tschaekofske

A Funeral service for Cora Tschaekofske, 87, of Dickinson will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 24, 2012 at St. John Lutheran Church in Dickinson with Pastor Cal Oraw officiating. Burial will be in the Dickinson Cemetery.


Visitation for Cora will be 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 23, 2012 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Dickinson, continuing on Friday, one hour prior to the service at St. John Lutheran Church.


Cora passed away Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at Medcenter One in Bismarck, ND.


Cora was born February 24, 1925, the daughter of Henry Wolff and Amalia (Flemmer) Wolff at the family home near Golden Valley, ND. She was baptized and confirmed at the Golgotha Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. Cora attended rural elementary school through the eighth grade. She graduated with Honors from Golden Valley High School and then attended Dickinson State College. She taught in rural schools in Mercer County for several years and served as a substitute teacher in Golden Valley Public School. Cora was united in marriage on June 30th, 1946 to Otmer Tschaekofske, the son of Edward and Regina Tschaekofske who were prominent farmers near Dodge, ND. Otmer and Cora purchased a farm three miles north of Golden Valley, where they farmed and ranched for 43 years. Both Otmer and Cora were very active and caring members in the community and in the Golgotha Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. Cora was a Charter member of the Golgotha Lutheran Church Luther League which was organized while she was in High School. Later she was a Charter member of the Women’s Missionary Federation at Golgotha Church. She served on the Dakota District Lutheran Church Women’s Board as Junior Lutheran Chairman and she served as President of the Northwest Conference Women’s Missionary Federation. In 1960, when the American Lutheran Church was formed, she served as 1st Vice President of the Western ND District A. L. C. Women. She also served as Secretary for Education of Western ND District and also of Bismarck Conference. Cora was a Charter member of the Golden Valley Homemakers Club and held all the various offices on the local level. She served as International Chairman for Mercer County Homemakers for many years and she served as Vice President and President of Mercer County Homemakers. She was a Board member for the Mercer County Farm Bureau Women and she served six years on the McLean Mercer Bookmobile Library Board. Otmer and Cora did not have any children but their home was always open to children and quite a number of young people and a host of nieces and nephews will always remember the happy times they had and the volumes of books that were read to them at Uncle Otmer’s and Auntie Cora’s house. They also hosted two International Farm Youth Exchange Students. In 1970, a young man from Germany spent three weeks on their farm and in 1977 a young woman from the Island of Guernsey spent three weeks on their farm. During Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and on weekends, many foreign students who attended NDSU were hosted at their farm. The students came from India, Iran and Pakistan. They also hosted other young people from Germany, England and Japan. These young people referred to them as “Father and Mother” and it was not unusual for them to receive telephone calls from all over the world on special holidays. Cora traveled quite extensively and made several trips to Europe where she visited friends and relatives and she visited the homeland of her Ancestors in the Muldova region in the Ukraine. Cora continued her active life in her retirement years. She was chairman of her Circle at St. John Lutheran Church. She also was Chairman of St. Luke’s Service League and of the Round Table Study Club. Very important in her retirement years was her participation in the Deutsche Leute Chapter of Germans from Russia and she served as President of the Dickinson Chapter for several years. Cora also belonged to several Pinochle and Bridge Clubs. She was an excellent cook and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining family and friends.


Cora was preceded in death by her husband, Otmer; her parents; her parents-in-laws; brother, Paul Wolff; sister, Viola Bertsch; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Tschaekofske and Mabel Nelson; brothers-in-law, A. J. Dallman, Leavard Sailer, and Lester Bauer.


Cora is survived by one brother, Armon (Peggy Jo) Wolff of Golden Valley; three sisters, Ruby Dallman of Zap, L. Ramona Sailer of Hazen, and Della Bauer of Beulah; brother-in-law, Gordon Bertsch of Bowman; sister-in-law, Marion Wolff of Golden Valley; and numerous nieces and nephews.


Memorials may be given to St. John Building Fund and to Germans from Russia Heritage Society, Bismarck.


Click to View Program (PDF)


Burial Date: August 24, 2012
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Service: Friday: St. John Lutheran Church, Dickinson, ND