Myrtle "Myrt" Wessels

“I’ve lived a wonderful life. I’ve done everything I wanted to do.” Are the words of Myrtle (Thom, Christensen) Wessels, who passed away Saturday, June 4, 2022, at the age of 93. Born May 17, 1929 to Herman and Malvena Thom in Edgeley, ND. Married May 1, 1948 to Harris Christensen and celebrated 46 years of marriage, adding five children to their union, Diane, Jimmy, Larry, Debi and Sandy, seven grandchildren (Larry’s children Vanessa, Jacob, and Angela, Debi’s children Christopher, Crystal, and Courtney, and Sandy’s child, Taylor) and nine great-grandchildren (Larry’s Cameren, Carter, and Cole, and Debi’s Allyson, Jackson, Kase, Libbie, Cayden, and Ryker). Four years after Harris passed away; she married George Wessels and moved to Audubon, MN, where she became part of the family of Glenn and Pat Holmgren and their children Julie and Kathy, grandchildren Mikaela and Alex, Hannah and Ethan and Cliff and Shelley Wessels and children Jenny, Katie, and Karl.

Myrtle is best known as a wonderful housewife and hostess (the coffee pot was always on and cookies too), the best babysitter, a strong woman of faith and volunteer at her church, a Past President of the VFW, the banquet cook for many years at the VFW, “The Flower Lady” who sold her flowers for a quarter a piece at a rummage sale every spring in which her loyal patrons waited anxiously for the ad in the newspaper, working at the lunch counter at Woolworths, a foster parent for those who worked at the Sheltered Workshop (now PA), a volunteer at the Adventist Community Center in Detroit Lakes, and a gardener (flowers and veggies) extraordinaire, beautifying her own yard and table, Debi’s yard, the “Welcome to Audubon” sign garden area, and finally the River Bend Apartments where she lived until entering the Pioneer Care Heritage Cottage in January of 2021.

She is preceded in death by her parents, six sisters (Gerda, Ethel, Ruth, Violet, Alice, and Ruby), husbands Harris and George, and sons James (Jimmy) and Larry.

Myrtle is survived by one brother Wilfert Thom of Jamestown, ND, her three daughters, Diane Christensen of Las Vegas, Debi (Greg) Diestler of Fergus Falls, and Sandy (Shawn) Burns of Hopkins, MN, her grandchildren Vanessa (Ryan) Christiansen of Cohasset, MN, Jacob (Jen) Christensen of Moorhead, MN, Angela (Adam) Jensen of Fergus Falls, Christopher (Monica) Diestler of Fergus Falls, Crystal (Travis) Woehl of Jamestown, ND, Courtney Diestler of Wahpeton, ND, and Taylor Christensen of Hopkins, MN, and great-grandchildren Cameren and Cole Jensen, Carter Christensen, Jackson, Libbie, Cayden and Ryker Diestler, Allyson Hohman and Kase Woehl and George’s family, Glenn and Pat Holmgren of Audubon, MN, Julie (Roy) Storsved of Detroit Lakes, MN, Mikaela and Alex Storsved, Kathy (Jeramie) Jacobson of Detroit Lakes, MN, Hannah and Ethan Jacobson, Cliff and Shelley Wessels of New York Mills, MN, Jenny Wessels, Katie (Jon) Gussiaas, and Karl Wessels. Also survived by her special friend (who considered Myrtle her sister), Eleanor Tingelstad of Detroit Lakes.

Her wish – show the love, trust, and peace you have, from having Jesus a part of your life, in order to help someone else find their way to Jesus and the perfect peace He offers to all. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Hospice Red River Valley or KOPJ Christian Radio in Park Rapids, MN.


Visitation: one hour prior to the start of the service at the church
Memorial service: 11:00 a.m. Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Fergus Falls Seventh-day Adventist Church, 18998 Co. Hwy 82, in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Pastor Tyson Kahler
Cemetery: Oak Grove, Fergus Falls

Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be sent online at www.olsonfuneralhome.com