Kathleen Hlavnicka Tordale

Kathleen M. Hlavnicka Tordale 91, Fargo, ND, formerly of Choteau, MT, died Monday July 30, 2018 at Elim Care Center in Fargo.

Kathleen was born on February 28, 1927, in Delamere, ND, the daughter of James and Vivian (Durgin) Blouin.  She was raised and educated in Delamere. In August 1944,  she married Warren C. Broderick. To that union a daughter Terry Colleen was born. They later divorced. In 1949, Kathleen married James A. Hlavnicka. They became parents to eight children. They farmed  west of Wyndmere, ND,  and later moved into Wyndmere. It was then Kathleen first worked as a janitor and then a cook at Wyndmere Public Schools. James died in 1990.  Kathleen retired from the school in 1992.  She then moved to Augusta, Montana. There she met and married Herman Tordale in 2001. They ranched on the Fairfield Bench, later moving to Choteau, MT. Herman died in 2016. In June 2017, Kathleen moved back to North Dakota.  She lived for a short time with her daughter Julie at Leonard, ND, and in September 2017, she moved to Elim Care Center in Fargo under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

She was an avid reader, and enjoyed cooking, gardening and quilting - everyone got a quilt. She passed on her strength and resilience and work ethic to her children.

Kathleen is survived by her children Julie (Richard) Rotenberger, Leonard, ND,  Janice (Kent) Lahren, Walcott, ND. James “Pat”, Lander, Wyoming, Tim (Ness), Hoonah, Alaska, Tom (Ruth), Big Sandy,  MT,  and Richard “Opey” (Marcie Mangold),  Lander, WY;  a sister Ginger Balek,  Augusta, MT, a brother Norman Blouin,  Washington state; also 14 grandchildren, which includes Becca Anderson who considered Grandma Kathy to be her surrogate mother, 30 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her three husbands, her parents, 4 brothers, James, Leslie, David and Jerry,  her beloved daughters, Terry and Nancy,  and her son John.

The family would like to thank Hospice of the Red River Valley and Elim Care Center  for their care and compassion.

Visitation:   1PM – 2PM on Friday, August 3, 2018 at Elim Care Center Chapel, Fargo, ND

Funeral Service:   2PM Friday at Elim Chapel

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