Margaret Ihrke

Margaret Ihrke, age 82, of Fosston, MN, passed away on Thursday (November 8th) at Cornerstone Residence Extended Care in Fosston. Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday (November 10th) at New Journey Church in Fosston with Pastor Mark Erickson officiating. Interment will be in Rosehill Cemetery, Fosston at a later date. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. until the time of service on Saturday at the church. The Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston is in charge of the arrangements and messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com.Margaret Minnie Ihrke was born on March 17, 1930 to Charles and Grace (Huffman) Huber in Aberdeen SD. Her early years were spent in Wisconsin and South Dakota. Her family settled near Lengby where they farmed.After high school, she taught at a country school in rural Grand Forks.She married her high school sweetheart, Arles Ihrke, on June 5, 1950 and they lived in the Lengby area where they raised their family.Margaret held several jobs in the Lengby/Fosston community including Census interviewer, librarian, clerk at Ben Franklin and the Lengby "Good Food" Store, veterinary assistant, as well as cooks helper at the Fosston Hospital and Manecke's Café. Margaret especially enjoyed working at the ticket booth at the Library Arts Center.She loved serving people. She and Arles opened their home to many people over the years, and helped "back to the land" people (1970s) gain skills they needed to live a simple lifestyle. She loved working in her flowerbeds and making quilts for grandchildren.Margaret enjoyed gardening, reading, researching natural health remedies, and soap-making -which she demonstrated at several community bicentennial events. One of her greatest passions was rearranging the house to make it more efficient.Margaret was active at the Fosston Baptist Church (New Journey Church) and was a serving group leader. She was also a member of the Lengby Improvement Club.Margaret is survived by Willis (Theresa) of Lengby, MN; Barbara of Marion, IN; Bennett (Jan) of Blair NE; Diane (Fergus Falls, MN); Alan (Jan) of Duluth, MN; and Joyce (Peter Rairdon) of Cass Lake, MN; 17 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, sisters Marie Amberson (Jim) of Richfield, MN; Carol Bradehoft of Maple Grove, MN; and Kathleen Mustenon (Darryl) of Bemidji, MN; and many nieces and nephews.Margaret was preceded in death by husband Arles (2009), son Robert, grandson Jeremy, and brother-in-law, Marty Bradehoft.Pall Bearers: Mike Davis, Christy Ihrke, Blake Ihrke, Sam Ihrke, Zeke Ihrke, Arlen Ihrke, Andrew Ihrke, Aaron and Nicolas Rairdon