Thelma Haakenstad Caldwell, 103, Minot, died Thursday, December 2, 2010, in a Granville adult foster care home.

Thelma was born on October 1, 1907, on a farm near Souris, ND, to Christ and Sofie Haakenstad, and was the youngest of six children.

She was reared and educated in the Souris area and graduated from Minot State Teachers College.

She met John Caldwell while teaching in Montana. They married on September 3, 1935, at Belle Fourche, South Dakota. They lived in the Souris area for one year before moving to a farm near Deering. They moved to Minot in 1943 where they raised their four children.

Thelma established Minot's first kindergarten in her home in 1946. A few years later, she joined the staff of Sunnyside Elementary School in Minot where she remained a teacher until her retirement in 1972. Thelma was proud to have attained her degree in Elementary Education from Minot State University after attending summer school for many sessions. She and her husband John continued to reside in the family home at 1010 University Avenue West until his death in 1995.

Thelma was a member of First Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway and Moose Lodge. As an active member of the Women of the Moose she attained a degree in the Academy of Friendship and College of Regents and was Senior Regent in 1981-1982.

She is survived by, her three children: J. Dean (Leatrice) and Don, both of Minot, and Sharon Rosedale of Bonita, CA; daughter-in-law: Penny Caldwell of Boise, Idaho; grandchildren: Bradford, Blake, Carol Lynn, Suzanne, J. Dustin, Heather, Dawn, Frank, Adam, Christopher, Christina, Holly, Philip, Michael, Sarah and Laura; numerous great grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Thelma's son Dale died on Thursday, June 2, 2011, from ALS in his Boise, ID, home.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, husband, grandson: Trent Caldwell, brothers: Sig and Melvin, sisters: Minnie and Clara, and a sister Mary Ann who died when Thelma was young.

Memorial service: Friday, June 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in First Lutheran Church Chapel, Minot.
Interment will be in Rosehill Memorial Park Minot.