Margaret Dorothy Moen Stenhjem

Margaret Stenhjem was born February 1, 1918 at home on the family farm near Mayville North Dakota to Oscar and Mabel Moen. Margaret was raised on the farm near Mayville North Dakota. She graduated from Mayville State Teacher College in 1938 and taught elementary school for 2 years at Isabel School near Esmond, North Dakota and for 10 years at Fort Totten elementary near Devils Lake.

Margaret was baptized and confirmed at Mayville Lutheran Church. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran, Esmond, Saint Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake until transferring to Victory Lutheran Church in Mesa AZ.

Margaret had a great appreation for music. Margaret along with her sister Gladys and brother Prentice were a musical trio singing three part harmony performing for a number of years in the Mayville area. Margaret played the harpsichord, Prentice was on the violin and Gladys on the piano. After she was married she was the Immanuel Lutheran organist for 20 years; taught piano for several years; sang for a number of years in the Saint Olaf Choir in Devils Lake and was a member of the Leisure World Choir for 20 years. Margaret spent many enjoyable hours at her piano. She was very talented in needle work creating many beautiful pictures for her children and grand children.

Margaret was happily married to Peter A. Stenhjem for 61 years. They were married on October 6, 1940 in Mayville, North Dakota and moved to Anaheim, CA. In 1943 they returned to the Stenhjem family farm where he farmed for 18 years.

In 1961 Margaret and Peter moved to Devils Lake where he joined his brother Paul Stenhjem at Ramsey Motors. They remained in Devils Lake until Peter’s retirement in 1979 after selling their partnership in Ramsey Motors. They loved to fish and took many fishing trips to Canada. Margaret and Peter purchased and built a summer home on one of the first Creel Bay west side lots on Devils Lake. In 1995 they sold the Creel Bay property and having spent 19 years as Arizona “Snow Birds” they decided to make their permanent home at Leisure World in Mesa Arizona. For two years, to get out of the Arizona valley heat, they had a summer home in Pine Top Arizona.

In 1998 Peter with Margaret, daughter Joan, son Peter D, and a number of Stenhjem family relatives traveled to Norway and visited the Stenhjem homestead in Sogndal. Then in 1999 they attended the 150-year Reunion of the Stenhjem immigration held in Spring Grove, Minnesota.

Margaret was a devoted wife to Peter, a loving mother to: daughter Joan Linscott and her husband Wes of Mesa Arizona, son Peter Dennis Stenhjem and his wife Jane of Mesa AZ; a proud grandmother to Mike Grondahl, Mark Grondahl, Monte Grondahl, Monica Ellingson, Peter Shane Stenhjem, Travis Stenhjem, Jeremy Stenhjem and Peter Christopher Stenhjem; 12 great grand children; 5 great-great grand children; an aunt to 2 nieces; and 11 nephews. Her parents, her husband Peter, a son Warren Lee Stenhjem, sister Gladys Strom, brothers Gordon and Prentice Moen, preceded Margaret in death.

A memorial service will be held on Feb. 3, 2012 at 10:00 am at Victory Lutheran Church, 5946 E. University Drive, Mesa, AZ 85205. Local arrnagements were entrusted to Melcher Mission Chapel, 6625 E. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85205