Rae Ann Maureen Gilbertson

July 22, 1939 - November 14, 2020

Rae Ann Maureen (Hegge) Gilbertson, daughter of Raymond Henry and Nora Elizabeth (Scholberg) Hegge was born on July 22, 1939 in Ortonville, MN. Her childhood years were spent in Big Stone County, near Ortonville and Clinton, MN. She attended grades one through seven in a one-room country schoolhouse, District #31. From eighth grade onward she attended Ortonville Public School, graduating in 1957. She continued her education at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, earning a bachelor’s degree in business education with a Librarian certification in 1961. Rae Ann began her teaching career in Halstad, MN. It was there that she met her husband and the love of her life, Lionel Dean Gilbertson. They were married on June 12, 1964. Their daughter Beth joined their family in June 1970. During their married years they lived in Shelly, Twin Valley, and Saum, MN, and since September 1988, in Sentinel Butte, ND where Rae Ann became the K-12 librarian for Beach Public Schools, retiring in 2005. In September 2018, Rae Ann and Lionel entered the Wibaux County Nursing Home where she lived until her death from COVID-19 on November 14, 2020. Rae Ann is survived by her husband, Lionel; daughter, Beth Hill (John); granddaughters Tessa and Nicole Hill; sister, Janice Rodvi; three nieces, Martha Clinehens (Steve), Miriam Billings (Charlie), and Ann Spurbeck (Andy) and three nephews, Karsten Rodvik, John Rodvik (Lucy), and Chris Duklet (Jill). Rae Ann was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Marvin Rodvik, and brother and sister-in-law Dan and Iris Duklet. Woven throughout Rae Ann’s life were the ongoing threads of marriage, family, music, friendship and faith. Rae Ann and her husband Lionel were living examples of a marriage rooted in faith and love. They truly liked and loved each other through the good and bad times, setting a wonderful example for their daughter, granddaughters, and all who knew them. Family was incredibly important to Rae Ann. She worked hard to maintain relationships with all her family members near and far. As long as she was able, she traveled to visit family members and made it a priority to attend life events. When traveling was no longer possible for her, she challenged herself to learn technology and used that knowledge in the best possible way, to stay connected to those she loved. Music was always a part of Rae Ann’s life. She learned to play the piano and the organ at a young age and then used her gift in service to God, having been a church organist for every single congregation of which she was a part. Also, Rae Ann and three of her dear friends formed the Ivory Girls, a musical group with eight hands on two pianos. The Ivory Girls played for many community events and even in a few parades. The memories and the friendships that came from the Ivory Girls were some of Rae Ann’s greatest joys. Friendships were a very important part of Rae Ann’s life. She showed her love for her friends in many ways, including hand-made gifts of tie-blankets (last count was around 150) and prayer shawls. Another joyful event that Rae Ann loved was the Friday pot-luck gatherings at Olson’s Service Station. She was always on the hunt for a new recipe to try and loved the fellowship and connection that came from those weekly gatherings. The line between “friend” and “family” often blurred for Rae Ann and Lionel. They have many “adopted” children and grandchildren and always loved seeing and spending time with them. Finally, woven throughout all the aspects of Rae Ann’s life was her faith. It was the foundation upon which her marriage, relationships with friends and family, and her positive attitude were built. Rae Ann faced many physical challenges in her life. She relied upon her faith to meet those challenges with determination and an attitude of gratitude for the gifts she had been given. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be greatly missed. THANK YOU to all the loving and brave caregivers at the Wibaux County Nursing Home and at Glendive Medical Center. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at the Sentinel Butte Hall in Sentinel Butte. Silha Funeral Home of Beach has been entrusted with the arrangements. Rae Ann loved to make and give blankets as gifts. In lieu of flowers, if you would like, please bring a blanket of any kind. The blankets will be donated a homeless shelter in the area. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.