JOY “LAMAE” MITCHELL SEPT. 11, 1934 – MAR 2, 2018
Joy “LaMae” Mitchell passed away peacefully the morning of March 2nd and joined her husband Pete, family and special friends in a better place.
LaMae was born Sept 11, 1934 to Kermit and Clara Opperud in Wildrose, ND. She was raised in Alamo ND where she graduated in 1952, excelling in basketball. She then attended nursing school at Wahpeton, ND and Mercy School of Nursing in Valley City. She worked in Minneapolis with friend Harriet during her break in nursing school and then began her nursing career that encompassed hospitals in Minneapolis, Williston and Williams Lake, B.C. Her favorite was pediatrics.
In 1964 LaMae met and married Pete Mitchell. They ranched south of Sidney. With Pete, she inherited daughter Laurie. In Sidney, both sons Pat and John were born. In 1969 the family, along with Cindy Hasselstrom, a dear family friend, moved to Williams Lake where LaMae continued to nurse. After 7 years, they returned to Shepherd, Montana in 1976. They built their home on Barton Place in the early 1980’s and loved their time there. Pete died of cancer in 1997 and LaMae remained on the ranch for the balance of her active life.
All three of LaMae’s children graduated from Shepherd High along with many of her grandchildren. She was an avid fan of all of their sporting activities, especially basketball, and she was a regular attendee at games. Some of her great pleasures were cooing over grandchildren, the Denver Broncos, and enjoying her home on the ranch at Barton Place. She would have loved her time with her great grandchildren for sure.
LaMae is survived by her children Laurie (Dan) Bersanti, Pat (Carolyn) Mitchell and John (Shelly) Mitchell. She has 6 grandchildren, Kira (Dan) Conn, Ben Bersanti, Justine Mitchell, Brooklyn (Gene) Hauck, Devon Mitchell, Chase Mitchell and 4 great grandchildren….Riley, Braelyn, Harper and Dillon, as well as special niece Kathy Eskro, Clare Ann Herland, Rod Opperud, Wayne Opperud and her Ohio favorites Poncho, John and Juds. LaMae is preceded in death by her husband, Pete, her parents Clara and Kermit, as well as her stepfather she loved, Ben Benson, brothers Donnie (Eileen)and Jackie (Betty) Opperud and her life- long friends, Gert Linderberg and Harriet Halverson.
LaMae was a classy, kind and gentle lady. She will be remembered for her sense of humor and wonderful smile. “Oofdah” was a mainstay of her vocabulary…. both for good and bad stories!
A service will be held in the spring at the ranch. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Alamo Cemetery Fund (2216 University Ave, Williston ND 58801), the Shepherd Lutheran Church or a charity of choice. A special thank you goes out to those special caregivers at Langamo and Garden Court who took such good care of LaMae in her last years.
