Martha June Morey, 97, of Salina, died Thursday, June 4, 2015, at Dignity Care Home, of complications due to Alzheimer’s. Her wishes were to be cremated, and a family graveside service will be held Friday, June 12, at St. John’s Cemetery, Hatton, N.D.
Martha June Bjertness was born June 4, 1918, in Flaxton, N.D., to Hans P. and Anna Bye Bjertness. She was baptized into the Lutheran Church in Flaxton. At age 2, following the death of her mother from influenza, the family moved to Hatton. She was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church and attended school at Hatton, graduating from high school in 1936. She attended Mayville State Teacher’s College.
She married Gilbert A. Morey, of Mayville, on Aug. 24, 1941, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, Minn., en route to Gilbert’s first teaching job in Storm Lake, Iowa. When World War II broke out and Gilbert was drafted, she returned to Hatton and lived with her father, brother and sister. On Gilbert’s return from service, they moved on to several different teaching positions in Montana, North Dakota (including New Rockford, Regent, Minnewaukan and Lehr) and South Dakota, ending up back in Hatton. While there, June worked at Hatton Mercantile Co-op Store and Tri-County Nursing Home.
Gilbert died Aug. 22, 1981. Martha moved to Salina in 1989, and she resided there until her death.
She is survived by two sons, Michael (Charlotte), of Fargo, N.D., and Bruce (Martha), of Billings, Mont.; two daughters, Toni (Richard) Smith, of Bismarck, N.D., and Jaci Walsh, of Salina; eight grandchildren, Christopher (Jaime) Morey, of Dallas, Melissa (Nicholas) Ellison, of St. Paul, Minn., Monica Morey, of Rochester, Minn., Amy Morey, of Minneapolis, Minn., Jonathan Smith, of Mandan, N.D., Jason (Linda) Smith, of Burnsville, Minn., Jennifer (Jared) Folkman, of Windsor, Colo., and Lana Walsh, of Topeka; three great-grandchildren, Connor Folkman, Jacob Smith and Isaac Morey; sister, Margaret Alimorong, of Chicago; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gilbert; son-in-law, Gary Walsh; brothers, Melvin and Robert; and sister, Olive.
The family requests memorials be sent to Carl Ben Eielson Museum, P.O. Box 278, Hatton, ND 58240; St. John Lutheran Church, 420 Seventh St., Hatton 58240; or Dignity Care Home, 745 Faith Drive, Salina 67401.