Mildred Hextell

Mildred Hextell, age 88, of Lengby, MN, passed away on Friday, July 16th, at Essentia Health Living Center in Fosston. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20th, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lengby with the Rev. Gene Lilienthal officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. The family will extend the memorials to local organizations in memory of Mildred.

Mildred Evelyn Hextell was born on February 20, 1933 in rural Mahnomen to Otto and Amanda Freyholtz. She was the youngest of their 10 children. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith later that year. Mildred attended country school in Gregory Township until the 8th grade. She then helped on the family farm as she told us “she had four brothers off to service so the girls had to do the work on the farm”. During these years she met her future husband, Dale Hextell at the Mahnomen County Fair. They later married in June of 1952. While Dale was in the Marine Corp, Mildred stayed at her family farm until Dale’s discharge. They then bought their farm south of Lengby where they continued to raise, grain, cows, and sheep for the next 59 years.

During their years farming, Mom provided lunches, field transportation and enjoyed helping out with combining. After Dale’s passing in 2011, Mildred continued to help her son’s Roger and Mitchell on the farm with transportation to the fields, lunches, as well as her ever watching eye out her bedroom window of the cattle herd.

During these years on the farm Mildred and Dale were blessed with seven children Cheryl (Brian) Shafer, Jeanie (Marshall) Kostka, Cindy Kulzer, Roger (Rhonda) Hextell, Roxanne (Jack) Milender, Mitchell Hextell , and Rachel (Tim) Kipp. As well as working on the farm Mildred began work at the Bagley Livestock Exchange cooking in the kitchen. She loved this job and she loved visiting with the local farmers and ranchers as well keeping up on the cattle market. Also during this time she began cooking at the Lengby VFW Club for the Friday Night Fish Fries. “Mildred’s potato salad” became a local favorite. She was very proud of this job and that it helped support the VFW Club. She held both of these jobs for 20 plus years.

Mildred enjoyed trying new things, she took classes in oil painting, cake decorating. Her classes provided paintings for all of us to enjoy as well as memories of many beautifully decorated cakes for birthdays and special events. She was also a member in the Lengby Ladies VFW Auxiliary, Clov-Is Homemakers Club, Wild Rice Scouts 4-H Club, St. Paul’s Sewing Circle, and St. Paul’s Ladies Aid.

Mildred had a love of animals and throughout her life took care and nursed to health many stray, injured and disabled animals, especially her blind pet cow Angel. She showed this affection and caring to all of her kids and let us know all animals deserved a fighting chance. Mildred loved flowers! She had multiple flower gardens and loved to have a fresh cut bouquet on her kitchen table. She was especially proud of her irises, tiger lilies and peonies.

Over the years she enjoyed family gatherings, whether gathering for a Saturday night dinner or large gathering of her sisters and relatives from down south. If dancing would happen during these gatherings this would make her heart the happiest. Mildred began residency at Essentia Health Living Center in the Fall of 2020. While residing there she still enjoyed visiting her farm and family as often as she could.

Mildred passed on July 16, 2021 surrounded by her children enjoying the sunshine, breeze, birds singing.

She was preceded in death by her parents Otto and Amanda, her husband Dale, her six brothers Roy, Milton, Vernon, Earl, Lester and Wilber. She is survived and remembered by her 14 grandchildren; Crystal, Cassie, Tessa, Cody, Kayla, Cody, Samantha, Parker, Teigen, Synnova, Brett, Ryan, Kaden and Mecca. Also 10 Great Grandchildren; McKinley, Jaxon, Owen, Logan, Lane, Cole, Anthony, Jeremiah, Evelyn, and Rory. Travel well Mom and two-step right up to heaven, Love your Kids.