Funeral services for Virginia "Virgie" Stulken age 86 of Selby will be 10:00 AM Saturday, February 14, 2015 at Bethany Lutheran Church rural Selby. Burial will be in the Bethany Lutheran Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home. Visitation will be Friday, February 13, 2015 at the church with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Virgie passed away, Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at Good Samaritan Center in Selby of natural causes, after living there since 2005.

Virginia (Virgie) Mae (Haakenson) Stulken was born on August 10, 1928 in Mobridge, South Dakota to Johnny and Gladys (Blummer) Haakenson. She grew up on a farm on the Campbell-Walworth County line, near Norway Lutheran Church.

She attended grade school at Lund Country School and then graduated from High School at Glenham. Her activities were music and cheerleading.

She received her teaching Diploma at Northern States Teachers College at Aberdeen, SD. She taught Monte and Lund schools in Campbell County for 2 years. She said she spent every penny she made on shoes and clothes. To this day she loved her clothes and jewelry.

On August 22, 1948 she married Hubert (Hupy) Stulken. She worked side by side with her husband on the farm. She loved to plow summer fallow and swathe grain. She would rather work outside than be in the house cooking and cleaning.

Virgie was a past member of an Extension Club, attended a monthly card club with neighbors, and was in the Bethany Lutheran Ladies Aid where she was a member.

Virgie used her gift of embroidery for at least 70 years. Like the women of the past she sat many hours embroidering Pat's wedding dress, Jon's wedding shirt and the mother of the brides dress. She would embroider table clothes, dish towels, pillow cases, dresser scarves, curtains, pillows, wall hangings, and a special pillow cover for their cat, Ervin. Embroidery was her life. It was always done at home in her chair. The only time she would take it with her was when Hupy would go machinery shopping, or to the junk dealer or go to the neighbors Evis and Pete Byre to stitch away the night. After embroidering her quilts, they were sewn together and stapled on a homemade quilt frame that Hupy built. Many hours were spent stitching with that tiny needle through 2 pieces of material and batting. Winters were spent with a huge quilt frame in her living room at the farm. At least 20 quilts, as well as numerous baby quilts were stitched on that frame. Each one of her children and grand-children and most great grand children were given these gifts. She started a little business at the Good Samaritan Center selling her sets of dishtowels. Her embroidery was so intricate, it was hard to tell the right side from the backside of the article.

Virgie was a very giving person, always making sure that all her family had gifts for every occasion, like Anniversaries, Birthdays and Christmas. Her occasion book was her way of keeping up with everyone and giving fairly.

Her family band "The Family Tree" was her pride and joy through the 60's and 70's. Hupy and Virgie sacrificed many hours of farming time to haul their children all over the state playing for talent contests, wedding dances, night clubs, barn dances and other entertainment. Virgie was the booking agent for the band. She washed, ironed and bagged the band costumes to get ready for the next dance. She was so excited to get her hair done at the beauty shop every week.

Virgie was dedicated to going to all of her children and grand children's sports and musical events. She sat in the front row of every event whether we were the star or sat on the bench, or played only one note, she was there.

She loved to grow flowers. In the bay window of the old farmhouse was a huge Christmas Cactus, blooming every Christmas. Holly hocks and moss roses were her specialty. Later on in Selby she had pots and pots of various flowers adorning her sidewalk so passerby's could enjoy the view as well. Christmas was her favorite holiday. Her houses on the farm, in town and at the Good Samaritan Center were decorated to the max with twinkling lights, Santa's, her beloved snowmen, and sprinkling of family pictures. Snowman sweaters were her attire all of the Christmas season until spring.

Virgie had the knack of making fresh lefsa on the griddle every Thanksgiving and Christmas for her family. Lutefisk was always boiling in the pot six minutes before serving.

Virgie is survived by her children; Jon Stulken (Teresa Rupe) of Pierre, Pat and (Lauren) Russell of Selby, Bernard (Chloe) Stulken of Selby, Jeff (Darlene) Stulken of Williston, ND/Rapid City, ten grandchildren, Jocelyn (Steve Sobroski) Stulken of Rapid City, Aaron Stulken of Broken Arrow, OK, Nathan (Cheyenne) Russell of Tillamook, OR, Philip (Chelsea) Russell of Mobridge, Bethany (Matthew)McBride of Colstrip, MT, Grace Russell of Bismarck, ND, Mitchell (Lyndsey) Stulken of Pierre, Sawyer (Luke) Dowling of Pierrre, Brietta Stulken of Williston, ND, Kelsey Stulken of Minneapolis, MN, 14 great grandchildren; Vivian Stulken, Amelia Sorenson, Kane and Delicia Stulken, Keegan and Kaden Russell, Anniah and Rett Russell, Lincoln, Zoey and Veda McBride, Lanie and Liam Stulken and Emry Dowling, one nephew; Mike Haakenson and one niece; Pam Haakenson.

She was preceded in death by her husband; Hupy Stulken in 2009, her parents; Johnny and Gladys Haakenson, one brother; Harley Haakenson and one daughter-in-law; Deb Stulken.