Harriet Thieling, of Prior Lake, passed away December 23, 2014 at the age of 89. The visitation is Sunday, December 28, 2014, 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Prior Lake. The Celebration of Life Service is Monday, December 29, 2014 at 11:00 AM with visitation one hour prior at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Prior Lake. Rev. John P. Vaughn will preside. Harriet will be laid to rest next to her husband at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Prior Lake. Pall Bearers are Jim Siekmann, Trent Voth, Jim Deegan, Jim Sommers, Jim Hoeppner and Randy Holmes.
On January 15, 1925 Alf and Alma (Markuson) Gilbertson celebrated the birth of their daughter, Harriet Nora Gilbertson. She was the fourth of six girls. Harriet grew up in Lakeville and graduated from Lakeville High School. As a girl she enjoyed going to the movies and local dances with her sisters.
Harriet was a teenager when she met the love of her life. She went to church with a girlfriend one Christmas Eve, and it was that night that she met Roland Thieling. The two began dating and their love grew. When Rollie was drafted in the war, he knew that he needed to ask Harriet to marry him before he left. So he called up the local jeweler and got him out of bed on a Sunday night so he could buy a ring and propose. Of course, Harriet said yes! The two were engaged while Rollie was on active duty, and they were married as soon as he returned. They exchanged wedding vows on August 7, 1945 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lakeville.
After they were married, they took all the money they had to buy a small home on Prior Lake. They enjoyed the lake for a number of years before moving to a house they built “in the woods” where they raised their family. They were blessed with three children, Barb, Joni and Bob.
As a family they spent a lot of time outside enjoying their yard. In the winter, Rollie would flood an area to make a skating rink for the kids. They hosted many skating parties, and Harriet would make special treats for all of the kids who came over to skate. Harriet was the ultimate caregiver. She loved being a wife and mother. She always made a big Sunday dinner for her family.
When her kids left home, Harriet had time to pursue some of her own passions. She learned that she was a talented artist and took up painting. She made many beautiful works of art throughout the years. Harriet also enjoyed traveling with Rollie on his work trips to national conventions. They visited New York, San Francisco and Washington. Rollie loved going Florida, so they also took an annual trip south to be in the warm weather during the winter.
About four years ago, Harriet moved to McKenna Crossing in Prior Lake. When her beloved Rollie passed away in 2011 she knew that it wouldn’t be long before she would be reunited with him in Heaven. The evening of Tuesday, December 23, 2014, Harriet passed away peacefully at St. Francis Medical Center with her children by her side.
Harriet will be deeply missed and forever loved by her children, Barb Siekmann, Joni Thieling, Bob Thieling; grandchildren, Carrie (Trent) Voth, Becky (Brian) Durham; great-grandchildren, Tessa and Trevor Voth; sister, Iola Harris; many nieces and nephews; other loving relatives and friends. There to greet Harriet in heaven is her husband, Rollie Thieling; parents, Alf and Alma Gilbertson; sisters, Inez Jensen, LaVaine Hullet, Amy Deegan, Jean Nelson.
The Thieling family is served with honor, care and compassion by Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation.
