Stella Nesland Thief River Falls, MN, 83, died Monday, March 31, 2014 at Thief River Care Center, Thief River Falls, MN. Funeral service will be 2 PM, Saturday, April 5, 2014 at Abundant Life Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN with Reverend Michael Johnson officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls. Visitation will be 5 - 7 PM, Friday, April 4, 2014 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, MN with a 7 PM prayer service. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the service at the church Saturday. Stella Pauline Anderson was born in Thief River Falls, MN on March 13, 1931 the daughter of Iver and Inga (Sletten) Anderson. She was baptized on October 25, 1931 in Goodridge, MN by Rev. Sabo and also baptized on March 19, 2014 in Thief River Falls by Rev. Michael Johnson. She attended country schools in Pennington County near Goodridge, MN and also in Beltrami County, rural Grygla, MN. On August 5, 1950, Stella was united in marriage to Knute Nesland and they lived on a farm NE of Grygla, MN in Benville Township, Beltrami County, MN. The couple worked together on a dairy and small grain farm. They moved to Sanders Township near Thief River Falls, MN in 1969, where they had a dairy and grain operation. They were honored several times for their dairy operation. In 1978, they were named Top Herd, DHIA and the same year, Red River Valley Winter Shows-Top Dairyman for Pennington County. In 1980, they received Premier Dairyman Award. They sold their cattle in 1980 and continued grain farming, until about 1990. Stella worked for Liden's Lefse making lefse and also did food demos at the local grocery stores. Stella and Knute played cards with a group from their neighborhood; after Knute died, Stella would pick up her sister, Thelma and they would go to the Heritage Center to play cards. She was a member of the Abundant Life Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls where she was very active in the Women's Group and also had sung in the choir. Stella also enjoyed participating in the Homemaker's Club of Pennington County. She loved to spend time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren; she would make meringue cookies for her grandchildren for Christmas. Following Knute's death in 2006, Stella moved into an apartment attached onto Glen and Lynae's home. In January of 2014, she was admitted to Thief River Care Center. Stella is survived by daughter: Linda Anderson, Gatzke, MN; son: Glen (Lynae) Nesland, Thief River Falls, MN; grandchildren: Nikki (LaRone) Greer, Jared Anderson, Tara (Jerod) Lunsetter, Tanya (Travis) Harbott, Audra (Michael) Lovly; great grandchildren: Jordan, Nykeesha, Nykayla, and LaMilton Greer, Ethan, Jonah and Jerlyn Lunsetter, Ella and Cash Harbott and Hannah, Haileigh Jo and Austin Lovly; sisters, Thelma Feragen of Thief River Falls and Ovedia Stratton of Grygla, MN; sister-in-law, Bunny DuChamp of Plummer, MN; and several nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by husband, Knute on August 27, 2006; son-in-law, Milton Anderson in 2013; brothers, Melford, Alvin and LeRoy (Lorraine); infant sister, Alva Anderson; sisters, Myrtle (Frank) Helgeland and Delpha (Howard) Comstock; and brothers-in-law, George Feragen and Chester Stratton. Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com PIANIST: Gracia Johnson SOLOIST: Rev. Paul Koch SELECTIONS: "Do Lord" & "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb" CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS: "Jesus Loves Me" & "Amazing Grace" CASKETBEARERS: George Feragen Jr., Roger Hovet, Jerry Feragen, Dennis Comstock, Roger Blaine, Jim DuChamp, Ernie Feragen