Grace Wahl

Grace Wahl, 109, Bismarck, died October 5, 2004, in a Bismarck care center. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday at First Lutheran Church, Washburn, with the Rev. Eric Johnson and Rev Jack Eichhorst officiating. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery at a later date. Grace Ethel Herred was born December 1, 1894, to Dakota Territory pioneers, Nels and Pernella Bjerke Herred on the family farm nine miles north of Washburn. She was one of eight children and was the last surviving member of that family. Grace grew up on the farm, attended rural school in the Sverdrup School District and was baptized and confirmed in the Sverdrup Lutheran Church. At age 15, she moved with her family to Washburn when her father retired. She had started high school in Underwood but transferred to Washburn High School where she was a member of the first girl's basketball team. After graduating from high school, Grace attended Aakers Business College in Fargo for two years to become a clerk-typist. She was a member of the first graduating class in stenotype. Grace went to work as a clerk in the Clerk of Courts office in the McLean County Courthouse, which was then located on Main Street of Washburn and is now part of the McLean County Museum. She also worked for the McLean County State's Attorney and Superintendent of Schools before her marriage. On November 24, 1919, Grace married Henry E. Wahl, son of another pioneer Washburn family. Henry barbered for 57 years before his death in 1965. Grace went back to work in 1942 for the McLean County Draft Board. In 1943, she had to fill out the draft notice drafting her only son, 18 year old Bob, into the Armed Forces. Grace went on to work in the McLean County Register of Deeds office for many years. Grace was an 84 year member of the American Legion Auxiliary, a 75 year member of the Washburn Study Club, an 82 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and also a member of the VFW Auxiliary, the McLean County Historical Society and Washburn Senior Citizens. She was a member of First Lutheran Church, Washburn, and its women's organizations, having watched the congregation move through four different church buildings in her 109 years. Having seen much of Washburn's history, Grace was at home volunteering for the McLean County Museum until the age of 89. She moved to Bismarck in 1984, living by herself until age 104, then into an assisted living facility until age 109 and just recently into a care center. Grace is survived by three daughters, Phyllis Loren LaPora, Redmond, OR, Marilyn Robert Cunningham, Bismarck, and Carol Kneelon Teague, Great Falls, MT; ten grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren; and seventeen great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry, her son Bob, her parents, three brothers, four sisters, and a son-in-law, Jack Entner. In the interest of science, Grace has requested her body be donated to the University of North Dakota Medical School, Grand Forks. The family requests memorials be given to the McLean County Museum in Washburn.

Grace Wahl

December 1, 1894 - October 5, 2004