Mardelle Naastad Tollefson

******* Mardelle's visitation for tonight, Thursday, December 15, 2022, has been cancelled.

Mardelle Naastad Tollefson, 99, passed away Sunday, December 11, 2022, at Hatton Prairie Village in Hatton. Funeral services will be held Friday, December 16, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, rural Hatton. A visitation will be held Thursday, December 15, 2022, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Bethany Cemetery or Hatton Prairie Village.

Mardelle Kathleen Bjerke Naastad Tollefson, the daughter of Melvin O. and Welhelmine (Mina) Meldahl Bjerke, was born October 18^th, 1923.  Mardelle Bjerke attended the Minneapolis School of Business following Hatton high school graduation.  On June 18, 1944, she married Marcus K. Naastad and they raised 6 children: Meredith (Eugene) Byron of Grand Forks, Elizabeth (David) Hanson of Grafton, Mark (Sherida) of Grand Forks, John (JoAnn) and Peter (Karen) of Hatton, and David also of Grand Forks.  Mardelle had 15 grandchildren and 39 great grandchildren.  On June 19, 1988, she married Donald Tollefson.  

Mardelle was a highly respected person in her community.  She was employed at the Hatton bank beginning in 1943..  She then left to raise their family.  In November 1962, the late Herb Nash called and asked her to return to work.  In 1969, she was named assistant cashier and in 1978, she became vice-president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, a position she held until 1991 when she retired from the bank.

Mardelle was the first woman president of Bethany Lutheran Church congregation in 1987.  She enjoyed attending Bible study and being a member of the Garfield Homemakers Club.  She was the treasurer of the Hatton Centennial Community Center, a member of the North Dakota Bank Women’s Association and served on the Tri-County Nursing Home Board.

She is survived by her sister Dorothy Skjoiten, her six children, 15 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Melvin O. and Welhelmine Bjerke, husband Marcus Naastad, husband Donald Tollefson, brothers: Kenneth, Orvis, James, Ronald, and sister, Jean Pederson and grandson, Andrew Naastad.