Lori Wald
Dates
October 19, 1937 - October 30, 2021Obituary
Laurel “Lori” Wald, 84, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Saturday, October 30, 2021, surrounded by her family at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell. Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM Friday, November 5, at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Thursday at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a 6:00 PM prayer service.
A live stream of the funeral service may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/events/2204500503023878?ref=newsfeed
Laurel Ann (Fritz) Wald was born on October 19th, 1937 in Mayville, North Dakota to William and Alma (Killie) Fritz. Laurel graduated from Clifford High School. She attended Mayville State College and graduated with her teaching degree. She started teaching grade school in Napoleon, North Dakota where she met Duane Wald. They were united in marriage on May 28th, 1959. They were blessed to have three daughters – Donnita, Lynn and Kari. The family made their homes in Minnesota and South Dakota.
During their time in Minnesota, Lori worked at the stockyard and as the sample lady in the local grocery store. She was also known for her love of entertaining their many friends.
Lori loved being a stay-at-home Mom with her daughters. After her youngest daughter started Junior High School, Lori started working in the Mitchell School District at Litchfield and Mitchell Junior High and worked at Hallmark for many years. At Hallmark, she was nicknamed by many as “The Card Lady, but her most cherished job was that of Grandma. She loved to attend events, play board games and cards, teach them to bake, and was their biggest cheerleader. Lori was known for her German cooking (which she learned from Duane’s mother, Rose). She was also known for her love of all the holidays and her passion showed in her ability to decorate for each. She also was known for her ability to find a “good deal” when shopping, her love of music which was always playing in her kitchen, her devout faith, her passion for Carson Wentz (and whatever NFL team her “North Dakota boy” was playing for), margaritas with extra salt and the ability to remember every person she would meet.
She is lovingly remembered by her husband of 62 years, Duane Francis; daughters, Donnita (Dave) Folmer and their daughter Lauren Folmer, Bismarck, ND; Lynn (Darren) Paulson, Rapid City, SD; Kari (Steve) Gales and their children, Davis and Brynn Gales, Watertown, SD.
She is also survived and loved by her “Fur” grandchildren whom she always had a treat for.
Lori is survived by her brother, Harold (Harriet) Fritz of Nixa, MO; brother-in-law, Allyn (Ann) of Fargo, ND; sisters-in-law, Carol Geritz of Fargo, ND, Darlene Eldred of Browerville, MN, Deb Wald of Fargo; many nieces and nephews and a growing list of great-nieces and nephews.
Preceding Laurel in death are her parents, Alma and William Fritz; brothers, Robert “Bob” Fritz and William “Billie” Fritz; mother and father-in-law, Rose and Francis “Frank” Wald; brothers-in-law, Tom Wald, Cameron Geritz, and Ron Eldred.
The family would like to thank the staff at Firesteel Rehab, Edgewood Assisted Living, and Queen of Peace ICU for their tender care during this past year.
