Margaret A. Stensby , 90, Elk Grove, CA, found eternal peace on June 1st 2015, at her home with her daughter holding her hand.

Margaret was born on February 17th 1925 and raised in New Rockford, ND. She was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Fisher) Halligan. She had two brothers as well as two sisters. Margaret attended Catholic grade school, and later on graduated from New Rockford High School.

Margaret and her best friend, Lois Emerick, showed their support in WWll by moving to Seattle and working at a torpedo factory. During this time her brother, John G. Halligan (Jack), was serving in the Army 1938-1942. She later on moved back to New Rockford and started her career as a dental hygienist.

On December 27th 1947 she was united in marriage to Theodore N. Stensby. Margaret and Ted were blessed with three sons. She enjoyed being a Burlington Railroad wife and all it entailed. Margaret was a devoted, and loving mother, who kept busy with her young boys. In 1961, they relocated to Minot ND and in 1963 her family expanded again and welcomed a baby girl, Heidi.

In 1977 Margaret\'s husband, Ted, passed away suddenly. Shortly after she began working at Valker\'s Florist in Minot. She took much pleasure in working there while creating beautiful arrangements.

In 2011, Margaret moved from Minot, ND to Elk Grove, California. She lived in an Elder Care Home that assisted people with Alzheimer\'s. Heidi and her family were able to visit her on a daily basis, considering it an honor to help her through this difficult time.

Margaret lived a long and good life. She always loved to travel, spending many summers with her family on the west coast visiting relatives and her mother. She traveled all through Mexico, went to Norway with one of her friends, visited the beautiful Wisconsin Dells, traveled to paradise, Hawaii, several times along with visits to Michigan, Montana, California, up and down the East Coast and Canada. She loved traveling especially if family was involved. It seemed like every family vacation gave her something new to tell, with her almost always having a hilarious story to tell no matter the circumstance.

Margaret had a lot of hobbies throughout the years. She was a very skilled cook, was a very talented craft person, seemed to have read every murder mystery novel that came out along with having a witty story or two along the way to make someone smile. She loved to donate her time and resources throughout the years. Different groups she belonged to were the American Legion Auxiliary Club, the National Heart Association and spent many hours with her bible study. Margaret would often spend hours out in the community gathering donations for a variety of different causes. She always gave you her support and a shoulder to lean on.

Our mother will be missed by many. She was a one of a kind person with an excellent sense of humor and spent countless hours being the best mother, grandmother, and great grandmother that anyone could have ever asked for.

Margaret\'s loving family includes her children, Terrence (Sarah) Stensby, Billings,MT, Dennis (Cookie) Stensby, Prescott, AZ, Richard (Lynnette) Stensby, Minot, ND and Heidi (Maynard) Feist, Elk Grove, CA; ten grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Theodore Stensby, an infant daughter, and siblings, Mary Stoner, Katherine Ziegler, Casper Halligan, John 'Jack' Halligan.

Funeral Service: 1:00 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 2015, at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, ND
Visitation: Wednesday, June 10, 2015, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials: Memorials are preferred to the American Alzheimer's Association.