Avis (Gimbel) Stewart age 85 of Souris, died August 3 in a Fargo hospital after a brief illness. Her funeral will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 10:00 am at the First Lutheran Church in Bottineau  Visitation will be one hour prior to service time on Thursday at the First Lutheran Church in Bottineau.

Avis was born in Bottineau January 6, 1938 to William and Alma (Ihla) Gimbel; their 1st daughter and 4th child.  She grew up on a farm just outside of Souris with 3 older brothers and had many cousins and friends nearby.

After graduating from Souris High School in 1956, she earned her teaching degree and taught school for 9 years. She met William Stewart, her future husband during her first 4 years while teaching in Sherwood, ND. After a lengthy courtship they were married June 8, 1968 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Souris.

18 months later on December 12, 1969 their daughter Lori was born and Todd was born March 7, 1978. This completed her family and she spent the next 25 years raising her kids.

She celebrated her 53 year wedding anniversary in 2021 and was affectionately known by Bill as 'Huggabear'.

Avis enjoyed spending summers planting lots of flowers and gardening. She always made sure to plant a huge one! Summers were spent tending to the cucumbers, carrots, radishes, onions, potatoes, corn and melon plants. Her family enjoyed eating fresh veggies from the garden and the pickles and frozen vegetables year round that she made every year. She also canned peaches, pears, cherries and strawberry rhubarb sauce.

Avis loved to put puzzles together , many times enlisting the help of her friends. The walls of her garage displayed their hard work. She also belonged to the Bottineau Senior Center where she enjoyed playing whist and an occasional game of dominos.

Avis is survived daughter Lori of Portland, OR; and son Todd (Melissa) of West Fargo. She has 2 beloved grandkids; Mason (17) who starts his senior year this fall and Ella (14) who will be a freshman; as well as 3 nephews and 3 nieces.

Avis is preceded in death by her husband, parents and brothers Farlynn, Wayne and Layton Gimbel and one niece.

Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.  Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net

Her funeral will be livestreamed on the First Lutheran Church Facebook page.