Gladys Maxine Prickett, 84, died Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at Northwest Medical Center, Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral service will be 11 AM, Saturday, October 7, 2006 at First Lutheran Church, Middle River, MN with Reverend Curtis Matz officiating. Burial will be First Lutheran Cemetery, Middle River, MN.

Visitation will be 4 " 7 PM. Friday, October 6, 2006 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, MN and for one hour prior to service at the church, Saturday.

Gladys Maxine Hjelle was born July 25, 1922 at Newfolden, MN, the daughter of Oscar Emil and Selma M. (Strand) Hjelle. She was baptized and confirmed at Westaker Lutheran Church, Newfolden, MN. Maxine attended Newfolden High School, graduating in 1940. She then attended Teachers Training in Warren, MN and Bemidji State College, Bemidji, MN, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education in the year, 1965.

On May 31, 1957, Maxine was united in marriage to Robert C. Prickett in Mitchell, SD. Robert died January 6, 1966. Maxine began teaching rural schools in 1941. She taught five years in rural schools in Marshall County, taught at Newfolden School for four years and taught at St. Hilaire, MN for one year. She began teaching at Middle River School in 1950, retiring in 1978, as an elementary teacher. In the fall of 1978, she was asked to be an aide in the special education department and she retired from that job in May 1994.

Maxine was active in First Lutheran Church, Middle River, MN and active in the Lutheran Church Womens Group and circles. She loved working in her yard, caring for her flower gardens and decorating her house both inside and outside for the Christmas season. She enjoyed her students and often said she never had a mean student. Maxine enjoyed following the lives of her students as they entered their careers and had families of their own.

Maxine is survived by two step-sons and daughters-in-law, Robert A. Prickett and his wife, Sharon, Cambridge, MN and Jerry G. Prickett and his wife, Connie, Thief River Falls, MN; 5 grandchildren, Tanya, Tara, Trisha, Chris and Todd; twelve great grandchilden; brother, Virgil and sister-in-law, Marville Hjelle, Thief River Falls, MN; three sisters, Vernace Stokke, Mae Hjelle, and Ardelle Hjelle, all of Thief River Falls, MN and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by husband, Robert, parents, sisters, Amy Hjelle and June Hjelle; brothers, Roger and Orville Hjelle and a brother-in-law, Percey Stokke.



ORGANIST: Gloria Ness
SOLOIST:
SELECTIONS:
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS: What A Friend We Have In Jesus and The Old Rugged Cross
PALLBEARERS: Bobby Prickett, Jerry Prickett, Chris Prickett, Todd Prickett, David Gram, Nick Gram, Mark Stromsodt, Matt Stromsodt, and Mike Ness