Mary Ann Kongslie

"matrem filiourum laetanem," meaning Joyous Mother of Children!

Mary Ann Kongslie was born into eternity on September 15, 2002. She was survived by 9 children, 14 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Her tenth son, Clare, died shortly after birth. Her fifth great-grandchild, Grayson, was born to grandson Kevin in 2008. Mary Ann would have been tickled beyond belief. It is fitting that her story begins with family because family was the centerpiece of her life.

Mary Ann was part of the vast Welk clan living in North Dakota. Contrary to popular belief, neither she nor her famous third cousin, Lawrence Welk, was Scandinavian. The Welk ancestors came from Russia and Germany, and many of Mary Ann's children learned a smattering of German while growing up.

The Welk household was a bustling one. Born in 1915, Mary Ann grew up with four brothers and five sisters. She met Arthur Kongslie before World War II. They fell in love and Mary Ann became pregnant with her first child, Kathleen.

For several years, Mary Ann and Arthur lived the small town life in North Dakota.  Arthur ran the Kongslie Garage with one of his brothers and Mary Ann tended to their home and growing family. Later, they moved to the Kongslie family farm. The farmhouse had a large sink with running water and a carryout toilet. A coal furnace provided heat. Clothes were hung to dry on the line. Children were bathed in the oversized utility sink. Complete indoor plumbing made it into the family's life in later years. Winter in North Dakota often came before Halloween and remained long into baseball season, much to the chagrin of Mary Ann's son Ron who was known to curse at the snow on the ground.

Church was an important ritual in Mary Ann's life. She was a devout Catholic. She believed in the church's teachings, attended regularly, and shared her beliefs with her family. Her faith brought her comfort and solace.

Like most women of her day, Mary Ann was an expert at homemaking. While her husband kept the farm going, she ran the household. She sewed many a school dress and Halloween costume, and loved to bake cookies and cakes. She nursed her oldest son through polio and consoled her husband when he recovered the body of a neighbor who had frozen to death one winter. Life was far from easy, but Mary Ann was so immersed in caring for and loving her family, the day-to-day struggles went largely unnoticed. This all changed the day Mary Ann decided to "run away." Mary Ann's youngest son Keith recalls what happened. Although his mother said nothing directly, it was clear she was overwhelmed and felt the uncontrollable urge to flee. But how could a devoted mother leave her children? The answer to Mary Ann was obvious: if you're going to run away, take the kids with you in the car. In her mind, this was a perfectly logical compromise. And as you might guess, Mary Ann didn't really run away. But she did eventually leave North Dakota.

In 1961 Mary Ann and Arthur left the farm and came west to Oregon. They lived in Culver and then Salem where Arthur put his talents to work as a builder and carpenter. Mary Ann set up  house and began doing all that she could for her children, some of whom were raising families of their own. Some became teachers and others married teachers. Mary Ann spent countless hours happily cutting out stencils or helping with other classroom crafts. She enjoyed visiting her two oldest daughters in Minnesota and North Dakota, and she knew the birthdays and anniversaries of every family member by heart. She was truly the family archivist. Mary Ann loved receiving photos of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, sharing recipes, and writing letters that her family still cherishes today! (Exclamation points were a favorite of hers.)

Mary Ann and Arthur were happily married until his death on New Year's Eve in 1990. About a decade after Arthur's death, Mary Ann was diagnosed with a painful, untreatable medical condition. She had her ups and downs, but remained largely the same person she had always been: stoic, uncomplaining, getting on with what needed to be done.

In the last year of her life, Mary Ann undertook a final project -- organizing all the photos she had received over the years. The albums she created were the last gifts she would give to her children -- a very fitting epitaph for a woman to whom family meant everything.

Honoring Acknowledgement: In loving memory of Mary Ann Kongslie. Mary Ann is honored by her children Kathleen, Beatrice, Marilyn, Ken, Ron, Keith, Karen, Barbara, and Becky. Written by: Beverly Michaelis and Keith Kongslie