Edith Eleanor Siewert

Edith E. Siewert, a few days short of her 90^th birthday, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at her home in Grand Forks, ND.

Don’t Accept Limits From Others

Independence, perseverance and the importance of education were the life lessons Edith Sand Siewert taught to those paying attention. 

Born to Helen and Erik Sand on Nov 18, 1928, she was given the nickname Nip for her sharp commentary on life. Raised on a farm near Emerado with six siblings, they all remained in close contact and the Sand Grapevine rivaled the speed of today’s Internet. Struck down by polio in her late teens, Edith struck back, proving the doctors wrong and went on to lead a full, active life, living far beyond the 40 years they had predicted. She prized her independence and hoping to appease her appetite for travel and love of history, she earned her teaching degree from Mayville State College and taught school at Cummings, Falconer, Hillsboro, Niagara, Reynolds and Oakville and Pleasant View near Emerado.

After marrying Mike Lund, Edith became a young farmer’s wife only to lose him in a tragic accident when she was pregnant with her first daughter, Vicki Lynn. Rebounding again, she resumed teaching and later married Reed Siewert, the consummate salesman, and had her second daughter, Connie Rae. Edith and Reed shared a home on South 9^th Street for over 50 years where neighborhood coffee and card parties were a frequent pastime and flower gardens were a part of every home.

Edith always remained a teacher of some sort, whether it was leading a troop of Brownies or Girl Scouts, a club of 4-Hers, planning educational trips and tours, watching over neighborhood children, advising nieces and nephews or providing political commentary at the piano. Her favorite mode of travel was the car and trips have taken her to 37 of the 50 states as well as Canada and Mexico.

In her senior years, Edith enjoyed reading and discussing books; fun regular visits from doting nieces, nephews, sister Marian, brother Stan, neighbors Linda and Mike and Maria and her daughters; orchestrating coffee parties that relived the fashion of bygone days; church suppers and many other driving adventures with co-pilot sister-in-law Lorraine Kroocmo.

Edith is survived by two children, Vicki Lund of Grand Forks & Connie Siewert of Dahlonega, GA; sisters, Dorothy Engh of St. Paul, MN, Marian Askim of Minot, ND and Phylis Croonenberghs of Twenty Nine Palms, CA, along with many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Mike Lund & Reed Siewert; brothers, Floyd, Lawrence and Stanley Sand.

Funeral Service: 12:00 p.m. Friday, November 23, 2018 at Amundson Funeral Home 2975 S. 42nd St. Grand Forks, ND, with visitation 2 hours prior from 10-12noon.

Interment: Memorial Park North Cemetery, Grand Forks, ND.