Edna Niss

Edna Mae Niss, age 89, of Wheaton, Minnesota passed away on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Traverse Care Center after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family. Edna Mae moved to the Care Center in March.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Michael Breach officiating.

Interment will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, rural Wheaton. Pallbearers will be Darin Rinke, Marc Rinke, Dan Rinke, Michelle Koch, Travor Timm, Trent Timm, Troy Timm, Brian Kleespies and Kurt Kleespies.

Visitation will be held Wednesday evening, May 24th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service and Time of Sharing Service at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton. Visitation will continue Thursday morning one hour prior to service time at the church.

Edna Mae was born on March 2, 1928 in Roberts County South Dakota. She was the daughter of William and Marie (Behle) Rudolph. Edna Mae was received into God's Kingdom of Grace through Holy Baptism on March 25, 1928 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church rural Rosholt, South Dakota. She confirmed her faith at St. Peter's Lutheran Church on November 10, 1940.

Edna Mae was born on the family farm south of Rosholt. She attended Rosholt High School and graduated in 1945. After High School she attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, ND. She then moved to Wheaton and worked at the Traverse Electric Cooperative from 1947-1960 serving as Office Manager for the last ten years. On September 12, 1959 Edna Mae married Lawrence Niss at St. John Lutheran Church, Wheaton. They resided in Croke Township, south of Wheaton. Edna Mae was a homemaker until the time of Lawrence's fatal tractor accident in 1972.

Edna Mae worked as Deputy County Treasurer for six years. She was then elected Traverse County Recorder and continued in that office until her retirement in 1994.

Since retirement Edna Mae has been an active volunteer in both her church and the community. She enjoyed volunteering for the American Cancer Society, and Sanford Hospital Auxiliary. Edna Mae was a long time active volunteer in her church. She was a Sunday School teacher, kitchen helper at Vacation Bible School, served on the flower committee, and the food committee. Edna Mae always looked forward to decorating the church for Christmas with her longtime friends from the Naomi Circle. She also enjoyed being a part of the Woman's Study Club. On Fridays Edna Mae enjoyed playing bridge and on occasion bonco.

In her earlier years, Edna Mae enjoyed playing golf, entertaining, and traveling. Her hobbies included feeding her birds, attending cardiac rehab, baking, and tending to her flowers. She loved dogs and had three special four legged friends, not all at once, but all were rescue dogs! She passed her love of dogs on to both Rob and Marget.

Edna Mae is survived by son Robert (Lee) Niss of Wheaton; daughter Marget (Buzz) Christison of Plainview, Minnesota; granddaughters: Abbey (Chris) Hanson of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Amy Christison and fiancé Spencer Rudolf of St. Louis Park, Minnesota; special niece: Dena (Gary) Koch of Buffalo, Minnesota; niece: Pat Rudolph, and nephew: Jeff (Karen) Tetzlaff, nieces: Nancy Knopp, Linda Wente: nephews: John Bornhoft, Marvin Stoneberg, and Wayne Stoneberg, and many great-nieces and nephews.

Edna Mae was preceded in death by her husband: Lawrence; her sister: Doris Johnson; her brother: Lawrence Rudolph; her nephew: William M. Tetzlaff; sisters-in-law: Margaret Grohn, Belva Bornhoft, and Leora Stoneberg. .

After Lawrence's accident in 1972 Edna Mae, Rob and Marget were blessed to call special friends family.

Edna Mae's family would like to thank all family and friends for their support and prayers during her illness. They would also like to thank the entire staff at: the Traverse County Care Center, Sanford Health Care Center of Wheaton, Big Stone Therapies, and Sanford Homecare. They would also like to thank Michelle Rinke, Deb McTighe, and the CHI Hospice Team from Breckenridge, MN.

Thank you for coming and helping us honor our mom. Let her strong faith and belief in helping others be an inspiration to all of us. May God bless all of you. Rob and Lee, Marget and Buzz.