WILLIAM PAULSEN

WILLIAM PAULSEN William (Willie) Paulsen, 101, of Finley, ND, passed away peacefully in Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND on October 23, 2013. Willie was born September 13, 1912, near New England, ND to Jens and Mary (Gammelgaard) Paulsen. He lived with his parents and siblings in Rock Springs, MT, where they homesteaded. They moved to Finley, ND when he was six years old. Willie attended Newburgh school, Finley Township, worked on farms, spent a summer on a ranch near Chinook, MT, and another summer near Saratoga, WY, working on a ranch, dam and coal mine. Willie married Mabel Backer February 24, 1938 at Finley. They moved to their family farm in Sherbrooke Township, Steele County, in 1938 and lived there for fifty-nine years before moving into Finley in 1997. Willie served on the Sherbrooke Township school and church boards, Finley Lutheran Church Board and the Farm Home Administration Board. He was a member of Finley Lutheran Church. Willie bowled for many years on mixed leagues with his wife. After he retired he bought and restored antique gas engines. He was known as “The Engine Man”. Willie is survived by one brother, Elgar Paulsen, Hannaford, ND; three sons: William H. (Carolyn) and Robert (Christine) both of Finley and Gary, Fargo, ND; one daughter: Deloris (Michael) Ryan, Apple Valley, MN; five grandchildren: Stephen (Wendy) Paulsen, David Paulsen, William C. (Lisa) Paulsen, Eric (JoAnn) Paulsen and Amanda Dunkin, five great-grandchildren: Stephen, Kayla, Cynthia, Charlotte and Ryder; plus many nieces and nephews. Willie was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mabel, of sixty-five years, who died November 30, 2003; brothers: Chester, Clarence, Edward, Harold and Benjamin; sisters: infant sister Doris, Dorothy, Marie, Nellie, Nina and Eleanor; and daughter-in-law Janice Seim Paulsen. Funeral services will be, Monday, October, 28, 2013 at 1:00 pm in the Finley Lutheran Church, Finley, ND. Visitation will be Sunday, October 27, 2013 from 5:00 till 7:00 pm in the Quam-Plaisted-Cushman Funeral Home in Finley, ND and one hour before services in the Church. A Prayer Service will be Sunday at 7:00 pm in the Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Finley Cemetery.