Leota Jurgens

A service to celebrate the life of Leota Perhus Jurgens, 98, of Richardton, ND will be held Friday, March 18, 2016 at Taylor Lutheran Church, Taylor, ND at 10:00 a. m. , MDT with Pastor Tim Voth and Alan Church officiating. Burial will take place in Kyseth Cemetery east of Marshall, ND. Visitation will be from 1:00 p. m. to 8:00 p. m. , Thursday, March 17, 2016 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, ND. Family will be present to receive friends from 5:00 p. m. to 7:00 p. m. with a Prayer Service taking place at 7:00 p. m. Leota Perhus Jurgens 98, formerly of Marshall, ND and Taylor, ND died Monday, March 14, 2016 at Richardton Health Care Center, Richardton, ND. Leota Jeanette Jacobs was born to John Adam Jacobs and Jennie (Twist) Jacobs on July 26, 1917, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Dickinson, ND. Leota grew up on the family farm north of Hebron and attended country school where she graduated from the 8th grade in 1932. That same year, her mother died of cancer, giving Leota the responsibility of homemaker and caretaker of the family. Leota waited three years to begin high school with her sister, both graduating in 1939 from Taylor High School. Badlands Bible Camp, which originated at the HT Ranch, was an important part of her life as this is where she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She married Kermit Perhus, October 14, 1939 at Marshall Lutheran Church. They made their home on the ranch east of Marshall. To this union, 6 children were born. In 1942 Leota’s father married Olga Odegaard, thus a new mother and later a sister in 1943. At age 36, she contracted polio which left Kermit to raise the children and run the ranch for a time. She later totally recovered at home and was able to resume her duties. Organizations in which she participated were Badlands Bible Camp, Marshall Lutheran Church, Peaceful Valley Homemakers, Gideons, 4-H Club leader, Sunday school teacher, and superintendent. She wrote the weekly column “Marshall Murmurs” for a number of years. Her daily Bible reading and prayer were very important to her. In later years, she seldom missed favorite TV programs, Billy Graham, Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right and Lawrence Welk. Kermit passed away on October 17, 1994. Leota continued to live on the ranch. At age 80 years, Leota married her high school beau, George Jurgens, at Marshall Lutheran Church on April 11, 1998. They made their summer home in Taylor, ND and wintered in Auburn, CA and Angels Camp, CA to be close to his son. George passed away in May 2005. Leota continued to live in her apartment in Taylor until she became a resident of Richardton Health Care Center in July 2012. Leota is survived by her children, David (Ruby Deibert) Perhus, Jeanette (Bill) Dohrmann, Keith (Linda Kisse) Perhus, Sandra (Ralph) Weisenberger, Susan (Bob) Goetz, & Howard (Ila Huenink) Perhus; sister, Annabel Foss; sister-in-law, Ann Jacobs; step-children, Mark (Laurie) Jurgens and Jean (Darrell) Hunt. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; and 5 great-great grandchildren; 4 step-grandchildren; and 3 step-great-grandchildren. She also leaves numerous nieces, nephews and many dear friends. Leota was preceded in death by husbands, Kermit and George; parents; step-mother; brothers, Harlon and Lester; sister & husband Bernadene and Severine Nelson; brother-in-law, Warren Foss; grandchildren, Audrey Dohrmann, Brandon and Cameron Goetz.


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Burial Date: March 18, 2016

Celebration of Life Service: Friday, Taylor Lutheran Church, Taylor, ND