Margaret Ann (Neys) Wieland, age 82, of Dazey, ND died early Wednesday morning, September 26, 2018. Known as “Peggy” to most and “Mom” or “Grandma” to many, she slipped away as the sun rose in Fargo. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 29th at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, rural Dazey, ND. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 28th from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM at the Lerud Mathias Funeral Home Chapel in Valley City and one hour before the services at the church. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM Friday evening at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
Born May 3, 1936, Peggy was the eldest of Michael “Adolf” and Clara (Krapp) Neys of Pingree, ND. She had fond memories of growing up on the farm as her father’s right hand man. Although it was unusual for a young girl in those times, Peggy worked the fields. Her mother, Clara, gave her the task of watching over her dad since he had suffered a heart attack when she was in junior high. She cherished those early years on the farm working with her father and talked fondly of that time throughout her life.
After finishing high school in Pingree, Peggy left the farm to attend Valley City State Teacher’s College in Valley City, ND. Leaving home was the hardest thing she ever did. Her childhood was a happy one and left her with some of her best memories. After the first year of college studies, in order to fulfill a rural scholarship requirement, she taught for one year at a one room school in Fried, ND.
After graduating from VCSTC in 1958 with an Education degree in Math and English with a minor in Physical Education, she began her teaching career teaching English and Girls Physical Education in Verndale, Minnesota. During the summers, she earned her Masters degree in Library Science from Denver University.
Upon earning her Masters, she moved back to Valley City to become the Reference Librarian at the college. While there, she received a letter inviting her on a date with John “Jack” Wieland, a farmer from Dazey. After nine months of dating, the two were married and Peggy left the city to go back to farm life.
She and Jack were advised during their Pre-Canaa classes that they would need to appreciate one another because at “their advanced ages”, they would be unlikely to have children. After spending the next 21 years devoted to family and farm, she had the opportunity to return to her former position at the library.
Always a lifelong learner, she enjoyed her time at the library and worked there for 22 years. As the quintessential librarian, she was often seen reading books to first her children and then her grandchildren. Other activities she enjoyed throughout her life included playing cards, looking at the crops, feeding people, spending time at St. Mary’s, holidays with her family especially her grandchildren, and going on car trips with her siblings. In her younger years, she also water skied, bowled, golfed and took a trip to Hawaii with her sister Muriel and her roommate.
After retirement, she spent time going to watch grandchildren participate in basketball and volleyball games, to sing or play in concerts and recitals and to celebrate their many milestones.
She remained on the farm until 2016 when she moved to an apartment in Bridgeview in Valley City and made many friends in her short time there. The last few months, she had been a resident of Rosewood in Fargo.
Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother Curtis Neys and a stillborn child. She is survived by her sisters; Muriel (Jim) Wieland and Kathy (Lawrence) Levin, her brothers; Ken (Lois) and Floyd (Chris) Neys, her children; Bill (Mary Ann) Wieland of Aberdeen, SD, Naomi (Kevin) Kreidlkamp and Mary (Manuel) Madrigal, both of Fargo, ND, Joanne (Gary) Schafer and Carol (Ramki Srinivasan) Wieland of Aurora, IL, Kathleen (Alex) Thompson and Joe (Micky) Wieland of Hettinger, ND, Bob (Kristi) Wieland of Dazey, ND and Louis Wieland of Valley City, ND; her grandchildren, John, Sophie, Abe, Clara, Hanna, Sam and Cameron Wieland, Tyler and Amanda Kreidlkamp, Maddie, Charlie and Abby Schafer, Ander and Lizzy Thompson, Tori Enstad, Adam, Olivia and Oscar Madrigal, Meera, Jack and Maya Srinivasan.