Rosella Ophaug-Sebenaler

If you didn’t know her, you missed a good one! Rosella A Ophaug Sebenaler born on March 26, 1929 is 100% Norwegian.  Her parents are Arther and Hildur Orseth of rural Michigan, North Dakota.  Rosella or "Rosey" as most of her friends called her except for that son-in-law of hers who just called her “Rose” is the oldest of four sisters.   Irene Hoverson was the second; Lois Klug came in at number 3 followed by the youngest Shirley Vetren who is still with us today. With nothing better to do in rural North Dakota she had a choice of going to school in Michigan and graduated High School in 1947, or stay on the farm and plow the lower 40 acres with team horses.  Following graduation the option came up again to work the farm and fill grain bins by hand shovel or attend Mayville State University, in Mayville, North Dakota.  After investing money, time, and midnight oil she graduated college with a teaching degree where Rosella decided to take her “new” investment and taught school in rural Petersburg, North Dakota and became a 100% kid friendly. It was during this time and a few street dances later she met her first and none other wonderful husband William “Bill” Ophaug.   Love really filled the air as they hitched their wagons together at Center Lutheran Church in McVille, North Dakota in March of 1951.  During their 46 year courtship they raised four children.  David Ophaug, Janis Storey, Larry Ophaug and their official boo-boo baby Nancy Holt.  Rosella’s daughters were both blessed with children, Janis found her way to give her mom three grandchildren; Heather, Sean and Christina while Nancy had one up on her sister with Travis, Matthew, Hayden and Hannah.   As life progressed three of her grandchildren made her super kid friendly by making her a great grandma.  Heather brought into this world three children (Faith, Jacob and Grace) followed by Matthew (Eryn) with two (Dallas and Lane) and finally in the far distance with just one is Travis with (Marcus). During her life and time of enjoying her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren she held some other super cool kid friendly jobs one of which was with the Grand Forks School District working at Schroder Middle School.  Between summer vacation and up into retirement she managed to do some traveling in her life.  With husband “Bill” and two of her children they went to Germany to see their son Larry and daughter Janis who were living on a military base at the time.  Janis had just given birth to her second child Sean.  Other adventures she went on were two trips to Norway to visit extended family.  The first trip was with her world traveler son Larry, and grandson Matthew. The second trip not only did she bring her again world traveler son Larry but her sister Irene and someone else that this son-in-law can’t remember.  With that said there were countless trips to the lakes where they liked to vacation.  In November of 1999 she married Donavan Sebenaler.  During this courtship they both went on the Alaska Cruise where coming back was one of the hardest things to do because of the fun they both had. Rosella also had her tough times before losing her battle to congestive heart failure.  She lost her eldest daughter in 1987 to leukemia, in May of 1997 she lost the love of her life and in November of 2015 she lost her second husband.  Rosella also had breast cancer however; she was blessed and became a cancer survivor by undergoing a series of medical treatments. Rosella was a very dedicated mom not only to her children but loved being a grandma and great grandmother and did everything she could to help out when the need arise.  Rosella with her great sense of humor enjoyed hobbies such as sewing, making blankets, visiting with friends and have coffee.  She also enjoyed the Sons of Norway’s events when she could attend, Friday Fellowship at United Lutheran Church, holidays, and holding babies every chance she could.  Rosella was never without a smile or a kind word.  It is hard to describe a super wonderful 100% kid friendly Norwegian woman as Rosella.  Sometime words are never enough, but for those of us who experienced her in life already know just how wonderful she really is.  Rosella will be greatly missed in this world as she is preceded in death with her daughter Janis, first husband Bill, Second husband Donavan, two of her sisters Irene and Lois, her parents and grandparents. Rosella’s surviving family members are her sister Shirley (Kenny) Vetren of Fargo, ND; her children Larry Ophaug from St. Paul, MN David Ophaug and Nancy (Jeff) Holt both from Grand Forks; 7 Grandchildren; and 3 great grandchildren.Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in United Lutheran Church, 324 Chestnut St., Grand Forks.  Visitation will b one hour prior to the service in church.  Inurnment will be at a later date in Michigan, ND Cemetery.