Sammie

She was born in 1903.

Her name was Selma Caroline, but friends and family  lovingly called her Sammie.

Her best friend was Esther Berlie.

Together, they attended Oak Grove High School and Seminary in Fargo.

After High School, she taught Lutheran parochial schools

in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.

While in North Dakota, she met Clarence.

Not long before Sammie & Clarence were to be married,

she noticed a lump in her side.

The doctor told her it was a floating kidney,

nothing to worry about.

Sammie & Clarence were married in 1930.

They had two beautiful daughters:

Grace and Lois.

When Lois was just a baby, Sammie became very ill.

She underwent surgery for what was believed to be appendicities.

During surgery, it was discovered that her "floating kidney"

was cancer.

There was nothing they could do for her.

Sammie's faith in God never faltered - not even during this horrible illness.

She worried about  her husband--

How would he cope?  How would he be able to take care of such small girls?

Little by little her strength was drained,

Fever had caused her to lose a lot of her hair.
First, her sister came to help with the babies.
Then her mother came - death was near.

Although her body was weak, Sammie's faith was strong.
With her family beside her, she uttered the words:
"Jesus Only"
Those were her last words before her death on
October 30, 1934.
She was 31 years old.
Grace was 3 years old, Lois was almost 18 months old.

Sammie was my mom's sister.
Although she died long before I was born,
I was always fascinated by what was told to me about her.
I wish I could have known her.