Violet Fiedler, age 89 of Bismarck, formerly of Mercer & Turtle Lake, died July 15, 2012 at her residence.

Funeral Services will be held 3:00 P.M. Thursday, July 19th at the Turtle Lake Baptist Church with Pastor Bill Oliver officiating. Burial will follow at the Mercer Hillside Cemetery. A time for fellowship and lunch will be held following the graveside service at the Mercer Community Center in Mercer, ND.

Visitation will be from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Wednesday at Goetz Funeral Home in Turtle Lake.

Violet Mae was born May 2, 1923 in Kaylor, SD, the 8th of 14 children born to Emannuel & Dorthea (Wagner) Fuerst. As a child, she helped her father, who was a drayman, unload train cars and haul supplies and commodities to area farmers and businesses. In her teen-age years, she worked as a nanny and domestic. As a young adult, Violet went to work for her sister, Lizzy Littke, in Mercer, ND where she soon met a local farmer, John Rust. They were united in marriage on October 15, 1943 and made their home on the Rust homestead farm until 1947. They then moved to their homestead farm closer to Mercer where they worked side by side in the farm and ranching operation for many years. John died in 1990 from stomach cancer. In September 1991, Violet married Herbert Fiedler and moved to Turtle Lake. Herb died from lung disease in December 2001. Violet continued to make her home in Turtle Lake until moving to the Edgewood Vista in Bismarck in May 2012.

Violet’s favorite thing to do was WORK. She loved to bake, and at one time her husband John told her he was going to admit her in “Bakers Anonymous”. Violet was a very loving and concerned grandma to all of her grandchildren & great-grandchildren. She would spend hours reciting their Awana Club bible verses with them. Violet was an active member of the Turtle Lake Baptist Church and was proud to express her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

She is survived by her three children, Sharon (Harvey) Sellon of Coleharbor, Sandy (Roland) Birst of Washburn, & John El (Annette) Rust of Mercer; three step-children, Wesley (Marilyn) Fiedler of Butte, Jerry (Danna) Fiedler of Bismarck, & Patty (Paul) Thacker of Ohio; 31 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; & 4 great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Fuerst of Parkston, SD, & Delores Sample of Mandan; one brother, Ervin (Leota) Fuerst of Sioux Falls, SD; & three sisters-in-law, Helen Russ of Riverdale, Elvina Fiedler of Turtle Lake, & Erdena (Arnold) Fiedler of Michigan.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, one grandson (Travis Sellon), & two great-granddaughters (Tiffany Green & Joclyn Birst).