Ethelyn D. Paulson

Ethelyn D Paulson, 96, passed away at SMP Health – St Raphael in Valley City, ND on December 25, 2023. Ethelyn's service will be viewable via livestream at https://vimeo.com/event/3988786 Services will be Saturday, December 30th at Oliver Nathan Funeral Chapel in Valley City at 10:30 am with Vicar Louis Moehlman officiating. Visitation will be held one hour before the service. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery in Marion, ND in the spring. Ethelyn was born May 8, 1927, to Jacob and Clara (Rockswold) Smedshammer. She was the oldest of 5 children, Lois, Myron, Arlys and Oren. She attended school at the North LaMoure rural school. She graduated from Litchville High School and started Nurses Training at Mercy Hospital in Valley City as part of the Nurses Cadet Corp. This was a government funded program due to the dire need for nurses because of World War II. She graduated in May of 1948 and worked for Doctor JP Merrett as his office nurse. She married Connie Paulson on April 24, 1949, and were married for 66 years. They lived on the family farm and raised 3 sons, Curtis, Bradley, and Jan. Ethelyn was an active member of Marion Lutheran Church. She played piano for the Children's Choir, chaired the Banners Committee, made homemade soap for the mission fields and quilts for Lutheran World Relief while on the Stewardship Committee. Ethelyn was very creative and loved to sew and knit. She knit and gave away 150 prayer shawls and many quilts. Connie and Ethelyn spent winters in Mesa, Arizona, where she took classes in painting, writing and computers. She received awards on her paintings that she exhibited at the fairs. Ethelyn is survived by her sons, Curtis (Sue) and Jan Gordon (Anne) Paulson; grandchildren, Jodi (Darrin) Orner, Marissa (John) Oelke, Sondra (Todd) Kirckof, Erin (John) Fox, Laura Paulson, and Matthew Paulson (fiancé Katelyn); great grandchildren, Tucker & Faith Orner, Robert & Fred Oelke, Ben & Charlotte Kirckof; brother Oren (Nadine) Smedshammer; sister, Lois Peterson; sister in law, Jeanette Smedshammer, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Connie, son, Bradley, brother Myron Smedshammer and sister Arlys Bates.

Ethelyn D. Paulson

May 8, 1927 - December 25, 2023