After celebrating a healthy and happy 100th Birthday with family and friends, Mary Jane Stotts Eidsness passed away on Nov. 26, 2024, in Thornton, CO.
Visitation will be on Dec. 11 at Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake from 4-6 p.m. Services will be held on Thursday, Dec. 12 at the First United Methodist Church in Devils Lake at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery.
Mary Jane was born on Nov. 1, 1924, to Claude and Elizabeth Stotts in Lakota, ND. She graduated from Edmore High School and completed her education with a teaching certificate from Minot State College in 1946. She began her teaching career in the Newbre School, followed by Crary, Starkweather, Lloyd, Montana, and finishing her career in Brocket. She continued teaching many hundreds of students piano for the next 70+ years with her final student when she was 97 years old. She played piano and organ for many weddings and churches in the community and surrounding areas. MaryJane was still playing for the church services where she was residing through her 100th birthday.
Mary Jane married George Eidsness on Dec. 29, 1947, in Starkweather and they made their first home in Newbre township near Brocket, where she continued to live until moving off the farm and into Devils Lake in 2007 and lived there for 10 years until moving to Bismarck, and later to Thornton, Colorado. She purchased her last new car at the age of 91 and continued driving until she was 95, even though her license was extended until she was 100 years old.
George and Mary Jane enjoyed traveling in the winter months to Hawaii and Arizona. After losing her husband she continued to travel with family and friends, her favorites being a cruise to Alaska with her daughters, granddaughters and daughters in law. The Mystery bus trips and numerous trips to New York were among her favorites. Throughout her life, she shared her love of music, playing and teaching piano. She enjoyed community volunteer work, sewing, quilting, cooking, games and puzzles and spent many evenings playing rummikub with friends. Mary Jane continued to volunteer with her sewing skills making quilts for shelters, hundreds of baby blankets, and positioning covers for premature infants in the hospital. She infused her faith, humor, positive nature and compassion for others in all her endeavors.
Mary Jane was devoted to her very large family. The impact of her genuine love, guidance and generosity can be seen in the lives of her children and their spouses, her 17 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. She taught them all how to be strong, yet loving.
She is survived by her children, Gareth (Tim) Fay Bismarck, George (Barb) Fort Lupton CO, Kelby (Renae) Sun City Arizona, Marghi (Gene) Barton Salt Lake City, UT, Gregg (Jouliet) Riviera AZ, Collin (Dianne) Westminster CO, Cary (Sherry) Grand Junction CO as well as 17 Grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. She also leaves behind many truly wonderful friends.
Mary Jane is preceded in death by her parents, husband George O Eidsness, grandson Peter Eidsness, great grandson Alden Eidsness, and siblings, Robert Stotts, Dorothy Moore, and Vernald Stotts.
