Mary A Ersland

Mary Alice Carlson Ersland was born on May 3, 1932 in Melrose Wisconsin. She passed away Sunday, November 16,2014 at Hillcrest Care Center where she lived for the past 2 years. She was 82.

Mary was born the eldest of 5 children to Elmer Carlson and Thelma Brown Carlson. her father was a logger and farm hand and her mother was a homemaker.  She went to school through the 11th grade. Growing up She and her siblings lived in Custer ND While her father worked as a hired hand on a ranch. She loved to talk about the beauty she saw in the area as she hiked the hills even as a young girl.  Her parents traveled where ever they could find work. They moved to Lumberton, New Mexico for awhile before traveling back to Wisconsin where she met and married her husband Joe.

At 16 she met Joseph Martin Ersland and they were married shortly therafter in LadySmith Wisconsin. To this Union were born 10 children.  Walter Martin  , Laurette Kay,  Anita Jo,  Leslie Ann,  Paul Kerry, Tammy Lee, Joseph Martin,Tina Marie,Rosemary and Ann Margarette.

During her married life she lived in Montana, California, Colorado and Idaho. Traveling with her husband to anywhere they could find work. She loved the mountains and hunting. When her husband was alive she would go hunting with him. A late son in law Lawrence Brown often accompanied them as well. Her husband Joe worked as a Logger and Mary spent a lot of the time after her children were raised out at camp  on weekends with him where she would cook and take walks.   When Mary was older she went to classes and became a CNA. She  worked for many years in Nursing homes helping people.  She had  "night owl "tendencies and worked Night shifts for years.  In the last few years  with her dementia she often thought she was still working as a CNA at Hillcrest and would check on other residents and let the staff know if she thought there were problems.  She was great at advocatingfor her residents.  She enjoyed being a CNA and  took pride in  what she did. She often trained new CNA's just starting.   She was an avid gardener and would enter her flowers in the county fair each year and earn many ribbons.  Mary was also an avid fisher woman. Part of fishing sometimes includes overhead power lines and shrubbery and Mary was sure to snag her fair share of them also.  She  enjoyed picking Huckleberries in the wild.

3 years ago Mary moved to Wray Colorado from Lewiston Idaho, her home of 30 years because of declining health.  This was not an easy move for her but even with her illness she took it in stride. She was quick witted and always had a quick comeback that brought laughter to those who knew her.  She was warmly welcomed to our community by the  senior center and ate meals there regularly. She enjoyed people watching. She made many friends  in Wray even in her last days and she will be remembered with joy.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Thelma,  Husband Joseph, Daughter Tammy, Son Joseph,Grand daughter Megan, son in law Lawrence Brown, Sisters Florence and Emily Clark,

Mary is survived by her Children,Grand Children, Great grand children and a Great -great grand child. Walter Martin Ersland of Puyallup WA(Nanette and  daughters Barbara, Donna and several great grandchildren) ,Laurette Kay Blinn of Albany OR(Paige and  Children, Jakob,Christian and Kaitlyn and several great Grandchildren) Anita Brown of Lewiston ID (Ray and daughter Sharon and several great grandchildren as well as a great, great grandchild), Leslie Wright of Lewiston ID (Terry and  daughters Connie and Elisa and several great  grandchildren),Paul Ersland of Eagle ID (Mary and  Children, Danica and Erik),Tammy Perry(Deceased, Delbert and sons Austin, Delbert and Albert and several Great grandchildren),Joseph Martin Ersland (Deceased at Birth),Tina Evans of Blue Springs MO(Barry and children, Jason, Sarah and Meghann and several great Grandchildren), Rosemary DiVittore of Wray CO (Steve and children,Matthew, Thomas, Aaron, Emily and John Paul) and Ann Ersland of Boise ID(Denise and daughter Rose).

There will be a Memorial service commemorating Mary's life at the First Christian church in Wray, Colorado on Saturday, November22,2014 at 11:00AM. Memorials may be sent to Hillcrest Care Center and the Towers or to Hospice of the Plains in Wray, Colorado. There will be acelebration of her life to Follow in Lewiston, Idaho for all her family and friends there  and will be announced at a later date. A reunion gathering in mid-summer to spread ashes in the wilderness near McCall, Idaho is currently being planned by her family members.