Obit: Bjelland, Selma (1877 - 1971)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bjelland, Stehr, Palm, Cardinal, Herdebu, Reynolds, Prusa, Wilher, Erickson, Nelson, Koxlien, Holden, Barr, Gustman, Scott, Schmidt, Schoengarth, Marek, Yons

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 2/11/1971

Bjelland, Selma (5 September 1877 - 9 February 1971)

Funeral services for Mrs. Selma Bjelland, 93, a resident of Memorial Home who died February 9, are to be held Friday, February 12, at 1:30 p.m. from the Georgas Funeral Home. The Rev. George E. Yons of the United Church of Christ will officiate and burial will be made in the Neillsville City Cemetery. The body of Mrs. Bjelland will be in state beginning today (Thursday) at the funeral home.

Mrs. Bjelland, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Stehr, was born September 5, 1877, in Scotland, S. D. At the age of five she moved with her parents to Kulm, N. D., where she attended school and worked as a young girl. Her first marriage, which took place in North Dakota, was to Henry W. Palm. He died in 1921.

She was married February 16, 1924, in LaMere, N. D., to Albert Bjelland, who also preceded her in death. They moved to a farm at Hixton (Jackson County), where they lived until their retirement in 1945. The Bjellands lived in Neillsville until the time of his death in 1959, after which Mrs. Bjelland moved to Merrillan, to be near her son, Harry Palm. She entered Memorial Home two years ago.

Survivors include five children, Harry Palm and Mrs. Leo (Violet) Cardinal, both of Merrillan, Arthur Palm, of Roscoe, Ill., Dell Palm of Kulm, N. D. (and the balance was cut off).

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 2/18/1971

Funeral series for Mrs. Selma Bjelland, 93, a resident of Memorial Home who died February 9, were held Friday, February 12, at 1:30 p.m. from the Georgas Funeral Home. The Rev. George E. Yon of the United Church of Christ officiated and interment was in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Charles Barr, Arnold Gustman, Jess W. Scott, Gerald Schmidt, Albert Schoengarth, and George Marek. Organ music was provided by Mrs. Jess W. Scott.

Those from out-of-town attending the services included the following: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Palm, Roscoe, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Dell Palm, Kulm, N. D.; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Herdebu, Baldwin, N. D.; Mr. and Mrs. James Reynolds Minneapolis, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Palm, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Prusa and Mr. and Mrs. David P. Wilher and daughter, all of Merrillan; Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Erickson and Mr. and Mrs. George Nelson, Hixton; Mr. and Mrs. Orin Koxlien, Taylor; Mr. and Mrs. Arvid Holden and family, Fargo, N. D.; Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Palm, and Karen, Rockton, Ill.