Bess Lang, 92 died Sunday, May 31, 2009 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. John Voelker, Ph.D. officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 PM until time of services on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Bess Anita Roisland was born April 1, 1917 in Pennington County, MN the daughter of Dreng and Mabel (Omdahl) Roisland. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Oklee, MN.

On December 3, 1939 she was united in marriage to John W. Lang in Thief River Falls, MN. With Johns service in the U.S. Army during WWII, Bess traveled to the east coast and worked in the commissaries. They returned to Thief River Falls following the war and purchased a house on Knight Avenue North and rented rooms to young women who were taking Teachers Training. To this union one daughter, Anita was born.

Bess was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary serving as president in 1955. She was also an avid bowler and held many league and association offices. Bess was a member of the Thief River Falls Womens Bowling Hall of Fame. She won many championship ribbons for her handiwork at the fair.

Bess enjoyed crocheting, sewing, quilting, and reading. She enjoyed her dogs, cats and horses, especially Rita and Lucy. The light of her life was her grandson, Andrew. She joked about her #1 son-in-law, Bob and enjoyed her relationship with him. Bess had a special relationship with her daughter, Anita. They bowled, sewed, and crocheted together and lived in the same yard since 1983, and just enjoyed spending time together.

Survivors include daughter, Anita (Bob) Cardinal; grandson, Andrew; brother, Marvin (Delores) Roisland; sister-in-law, Irene Roisland all of Thief River Falls, MN; sister-in-law, Bernice Ren of Lacy, WA; brother-in-law, Fred Lang of Minneapolis, MN; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John in 1983; parents; sisters, Mert Wilson, Vi Wettestead and Doris Roisland; brothers, Frank, Oscar and Thomas, Sr.; sister-in-law, Opal Roisland; brothers-in-law, Stan Wilson and John Wettestead; nephews, Steve Roisland, Greg Roisland and Thomas Roisland, Jr.