The funeral for Eva Ketterling, Wishek, ND will be held Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Wishek, ND with the Reverend Adam Roberts officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, February 1, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Dahlstrom Funeral Home in Wishek. Interment will be at St. Luke's Lutheran Cemetery.


Eva was born in a sod house west of Wishek, North Dakota, on September 9, 1909, one of nine children born to George and Dorothea (Hoffer) Rath. She graduated from Salem District #2 School, and continued living on the farmstead until her marriage. On November 30, 1930, she married Ferdinand Ketterling. They shared 66 years of marriage, and became parents of six daughters. Their firstborn died of pneumonia at age three. A second daughter was a stillborn twin. Eva dedicated her life to caring for her family. She tended a huge garden, employed her talent as a seamstress to clothe her family, sewed for others to bring in additional income, and worked aside her husband at Ketterling's Cream Station, the family business. In the late 1950's, Eva found part-time employment as a salesperson in the women's clothing department at Herr's Store. She purchased merchandise for the department from sales representatives, and traveled to clothing markets in Minneapolis until her retirement in 1973. She was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, the German Choir, Ladies Aid, Women's Missionary Society, The Rebekah Lodge, and was a founding member of the Wishek Senior Citizens organization. A great source of pride for Eva was entering the Great American Quilt Contest in 1986. Her hand-stitched quilt was one of two selected to represent North Dakota in the national competition in Texas. She invested more than 700 hours to create a quilt, which she entitled "America, The Hope of the World". Her creation embodied her patriotism and love of country. Most of all, Eva was a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She enveloped her family with handcrafted clothing, quilts, and food. In her retirement years she made many trips, from one coast to the other, visiting her daughters, sisters, and brothers bearing gifts of cream, frozen chickens, pickles, and cookies. She spent her life giving her best to family and friends. After suffering a stroke in 1998, Eva became a resident of the Wishek Home for the Aged. It became her lot in life to brighten the days of those who lived, worked, and visited the Home by sharing a ready smile, and a hearty laugh. Eva's family would like to thank the many employees of the Home who provided loving care for her over the years. Family and friends gathered September 6, 2010, to celebrate Eva's 101st Birthday. How fortunate we are that Eva was part of our lives for an entire century.


Eva died Friday, January 28, 2011, at the Wishek Home for the Aged. She was 101 years old.

Eva is survived by four daughters, Erna (Carl) Hoffman, Arlington, VA; Flo (Stanley) Gall, Louisville, KY; Dorothy (Warren) Schubert, Wishek, ND; Linda (Brock) Sullivan, Denver, CO; 11 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. Preceding Eva in death were her parents; husband, Ferdinand; daughter, Florence, age 3; five brothers: John, Edward, Ferdinand, Ludwig, Jacob; three sisters, Anna Marie (Andrew) Munsch, Barbara (Ludwig) Sayler, and Amelia (Adolf) Sayler. . Dahlstrom Funeral Home of Wishek, ND is entrusted with arrangements. Sign online guest book and share memories at www.dahlstromfuneralservice.com