Life’s journey ended for Ella Helen (Menge) Binder, 92, September 11, 2017, in Baxter, MN, with Kathy her caregiver/daughter of many years at her side. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Monday, September 18, 2017, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with Pastor Kent Sperry officiating. Burial will follow at Hazen City Cemetery Hazen, ND. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM CDT on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah, ND.

Ella was born May 16, 1925, in Hazen, North Dakota, to John and Elizabeth (Seiglock) Menge. She grew up on the farm in Hazen. At age 16 she left home and worked for various neighbors cleaning house and taking care of their children.

Ella married Herbert Binder March 26, 1944, in Beulah. They farmed with Herb’s parents until 1959 when they moved into Beulah.

She was a hard worker all her life. She spent many hours tending a garden and then canning the produce she grew. The fruit room was filled to capacity with pickles, sauerkraut, pickled watermelon, jams, and her favorite chokecherry jelly. She always had homemade cookies and bread in the freezer for after school snacks or unexpected company. We children grew up eating the German food she enjoyed making, including fleishkuechle, strudla, kuchen and pfeffernusse cookies. She loved singing country songs, dancing the polka, playing pinochle, and crocheting afghans, but her greatest love in life was her children and their families - many of whom received one of her crocheted afghans.

Survivors include her children, Betty Wilkening (Dennis Warner) of Grand Forks, ND, Nancy (Dale) Hausauer of Beulah, ND, Kathy Binder of Baxter, MN, Jackaline (Larry) Davis of Price, UT, and Troy Binder of Stanton, ND; sisters, Lillian Hamby of Beulah, ND, and Lucille Kay of Tacoma, WA; one sister-in-law, Hella Menge of Beulah, ND; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and beloved nieces and nephews.  

Ella was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers and sisters, Carl, Emilia, Johanna, Martha, Edwin (1) 1913, Edwin (2) 1915, Daniel, Frederick, Oscar, Erwen, Hubert, Walter and Evangeline; grandchildren, Michael and Judd; great-grandchildren, Chase and Sammy; great-great grandchildren, Paxton and Mickey; special friend Alec Petryszak.

Arrangements conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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