Madeline Birst

Madeline Kay Birst, 59, Bismarck, passed through the gateway of her earthly home to her heavenly home on January 10, 2004. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday at McCabe United Methodist Church, 6th Street and Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, with the Rev. Robert Nordvall officiating. Burial will be at the North Dakota State Veteran's Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 PM - 9 PM at Boelter-Eastgate Funeral Service, 200 West Turnpike Avenue, Bismarck, and will continue Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Madeline Wolseth was born on January 28, 1944, in Velva, North Dakota, the daughter of Leif and Helene Strand Wolseth. She was raised and educated in Fargo, North Dakota, graduating from Fargo Central in 1961 and from NDSU in 1965, with a major in math and a minor in music. She taught high school math in Minneota, Minnesota, Lisbon and Driscoll, North Dakota. On June 9, 1968, Madeline married Kenneth E. Birst in Fargo and then moved to Bismarck where they made their home. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth of Bismarck; her daughter, Scarlett Leap Chear of Moorhead, Minnesota; her son, Aaron Jenny Birst of Fargo, North Dakota; two grandsons, Hunter Chear and Wyatt Birst; her mother, Helene Wolseth of Fargo; her brother, Dr. Norman June Wolseth of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; her sisters, Joanne Don Ritland of Madison, Wisconsin, Drs. Donna Richard Horne of Paradise Valley, Arizona, Karen Tom Metzger of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Diane Mike Bayuk of Helena, Montana; and fifteen nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Leif Wolseth. Madeline's passion in life was ministry to children including the unborn. Therefore, the family requests memorials be made to the Tipi Waken Mission at Cannonball, North Dakota, or any right-to-life organization. One of Madeline's favorite scriptures was Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The Birst family wishes to thank their precious family and many friends, pastors, doctors, medical staff, and hospice care personnel for their prayers, loving care, and support during Madeline's six-year struggle with ovarian cancer.

Madeline Birst

January 28, 1944 - January 10, 2004