Thelma Bendickson, 101, died on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at Thief River Care Center, Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 20, 2010 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. John Voelker, PhD officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be from 5-8 PM, Friday, March 19, 2010 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday.

Thelma Dahle was born on November 6, 1908 to Ole Asklund and Emma Dahle near River Valley in Highlanding Township, Pennington County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed at Oak Park Lutheran Church. She attended the Pleasant View Country School and also the Crookston A.C.

Thelma was united in marriage to Benjamin Nickoli Bendickson on November 5, 1927 at Oak Park Lutheran Church, rural Highlanding. Thelma was an active farm wife with her husband, helping with the daily chores and milking cows. In 1956, they moved to Thief River Falls and she worked at the Rex Caf as a waitress and then she worked as a seamstress at Arctic Cat for a few years.

Thelma loved music and sang in different choirs. She was athletic and loved hunting, fishing, bowling, pitching horseshoes, and other outdoor activities. Visiting Norway was a fond time in her life, as she was proud of her Norwegian Heritage. She even got to sleep in the bed her grandfather had slept in many years before her. She was a champion Caroms player. She has lived in her own house, drove her own car, and mowed her own lawn until she was 100 years old. She kept tabs on the gold standard and oil prices all of her life and she liked to read the funnies section of the newspaper every evening. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Thelma is survived by 6 children: Lilah (Jim) Malosky of Duluth, MN, Wesley (Julia) Bendickson, of Maple Plain, MN, Benjamin Jr. (Margie) Bendickson of Lewistown, MT, Wayne (Claudia) Bendickson of Baudette, MN, Marquitta (John) Shaffer of Minnetonka, MN, Susan (Steven) Van Vleet of Woodbury, MN, 16 grandchildren: Jon (Rhonda) Vigness, David Vigness, Danny (Deb) Vigness, Jim (Jody) Vigness, Lisa (Don) Friedell, Linda (Konat) Thomas, Jim Malosky Jr, Tamme (Ola) Rud, Mark (Mimi) Bendickson, Sandi (Bruce) Clark, Eric (Jessica) Bendickson, Bridgett Bendickson, Scott Shaffer, Molly (fianc Peder Meyer) Shaffer, Matthew (Kristen) VanVleet, Elizabeth VanVleet, 14 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Benjamin in 1983, daughter Lois Vigness, 2 grandchildren Nancy Hoytea and Mike Bendickson.