Diane Marie Mclaughlin

Diane Marie McLaughlin, age 73 of Lankin, ND, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on December 18, 2020 at First Care Health Center in Park River, ND.

Diane Ebertowski was born on December 6, 1947, in Grand Forks, ND to Martin and Rose (Stoltman) Ebertowski.  She was raised in Ardoch, ND.  She attended grades 1-8 in Ardoch and grades 9-12 at Midway High School, graduating in 1965.  Diane received the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, and Matrimony at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ardoch.

In the summer of 1965, Diane started working as a bookkeeper at the Grafton National Bank.  She worked there for 3 ½ years.  During those years is when she met her future husband, Marlen McLaughlin.

Diane and Marlen were married on a cold day on December 28, 1968, in Ardoch, ND.  Diane and Marlen built a home on the family farm in 1972. Diane worked for Voracek Tax Service typing income tax forms.   A daughter, Karla Rae, was born on February 17, 1972.  Another daughter, Tracy Anne, was born on July 14, 1974. She was a loving Mother and wife.

Diane also worked as a Hair Care Assistant at the Park River Good Samaritan Center in Park River, ND, from September 1995-May 2007. She greatly enjoyed making the women there feel beautiful after she fixed their hair, and she always received compliments from the residents and staff.

Diane was involved in the family farm.  There were a few times that she managed to get stuck out in the fields, but she enjoyed helping move vehicles when she was needed.  Diane cooked countless meals for the harvest crew and delivered them to the field.  She was especially known for her delicious beef stew.  This was always a request and a meal that was enjoyed by all.

Diane’s hobbies included traveling with family and friends, cooking and baking, having a large garden, growing beautiful peonies, and doing the daily crossword and Jumble puzzles in the Grand Forks Herald.  She also enjoyed attending polka fests, camping, and playing the boardgame Scrabble.  Diane never liked losing a Scrabble game!  She played countless games with her sisters and sisters-in-laws, her daughters and grandchildren, and friends.

She enjoyed watching her grandchildren in their various school and church activities.  Diane and Marlen never hesitated to drive to Towner, ND or Fargo, ND when an activity was going on involving their grandchildren.

Diane had a strong Catholic faith.  She attended daily mass as a child in Ardoch.  She has been a longtime member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lankin.  She held every office in the Altar Society, something she was very proud of.  She was also a Parish Council Member.

Diane loved music of all forms.  She was a beautiful alto singer in the church choir for several years.  She and Marlen were very good dancers together. She taught both of her daughters how to waltz and polka in her dining room when Karla was 9 years old and Tracy was 7.  While attending polka fests, the musicians always knew Diane’s favorite tunes and would play them just for her.

She is survived by her husband, Marlen, and her two daughters:  Karla (Wade) Schock of Towner, ND and Tracy (Roger) Price of Reile’s Acres, ND; 5 grandchildren:  Matthias (Tessa) Price of Williston, ND, Jesse Price of Reile’s Acres, Tanner Schock, Brady Schock, and Sydney Schock, all of Towner, ND.  She has one great grandson, Archie Price of Williston.  Surviving siblings are:  Rose Ellen (Dan) Dettloff of New Port Richey, FL and Duane (Jeannie) Ebertowski of Tulsa, OK.  Also surviving are brother-in-law Gary (Janice) McLaughlin of Lankin, sister-in-law Marilyn (Francis) Praska of Lankin, and brother-in-law Lee (Judy) McLaughlin of Fargo, and several special nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Marilyn Miller and Betty Ebertowski, brother-in-law Wade Miller, sister-in-law Carol Ebertowski, her father-in-law Harold McLaughlin, and her mother-in-law Loretta McLaughlin.

A walk through visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 from 9:30-11:00 A.M. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Lankin, ND.  A private family Mass will be held Tuesday at the church. Interment will be at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Lankin, ND.  Covid-19 restrictions will be followed and face masks are required. A video of the service will be posted to the website following the Mass on Tuesday.