Magdalena (Lena) Wolbaum, 91, St Vincent's Nursing Home, left her earthly journey on December 3, 2020. To celebrate her life, the family is hosting an open house Sunday, December 6, from 2 to 4 at Myers Funeral Home, Linton, ND. There will be a family memorial mass at St Katherine's Catholic Church in Braddock, December 7 at 1 pm with committal at the church cemetery immediately following.

Mass of Christian Burial will be live-streamed on YouTube at Lena's Memorial Mass or join Facebook group Lena's Memorial Mass. We ask that all follow Covid-19 pandemic health and safety guidelines by wearing masks and social distancing. No public fellowship will be held after the funeral mass.

Lena, the first daughter of Martin and Kathryn (Bosch) Jangula, was born on August 1, 1929, west of Hazelton, ND. Her family moved to the Braddock area when she was fourteen. Lena attended Hazelton School through the eighth grade. She grieved not being able to participate in high school and graduate with her "grade" as she was needed to work on the farm. She fulfilled her graduation dream on her 60th birthday by walking across the stage to be awarded a GED diploma through South Central High School. It was a meaningful celebration for Lena with a gown and all.

A west-Braddock neighbor boy, Harry Wolbaum, said he noticed her farm work skills and courted her through the church Sodality youth group. Harry and Lena were married at St Mary's Catholic Church on March 29, 1948. They lived with Harry's family for a short time before purchasing the Baxter place across the creek and two miles north of the Wolbaum farm. Lena proudly talked about how she rode Blacky, her horse she got as a wedding gift, up to the new farm for many weeks to prepare the yard and "old house." Harry and Lena, together, totally built their new house. Lena pounded many nails and was especially good at laying the hardwood floor. She raised hundreds of chickens each year, and for twelve years, she was the "mother" to 5000 turkeys "climbing the hill" from April to October.  Lena was a caring wife and mother. Lena's children remember her as being a hard-working gardener, canner, cow milker, white fence builder, and promotor of swimming in the creek, lover of snowmobiling and tobogganing, setting a nice table with the good dishes for great dinner parties, serving lobster/borega/maltassa for Christmas Eve, crocheting, card playing and never driving without praying the rosary.  Lena and Harry lived on their farm until 2012, when they moved to Linton. They spent their last years in Mandan/Bismarck. Harry and Lena were married 71 years before he passed in 2018.

Lena was a long time member of the Wildrose Homemakers Club and 30 plus year 4-H leader. She served as the first woman on the Emmons County FHA Board. Lena enjoyed her many roles with her church community, including singing alto in the choir. She taught catechism for many years and was a member of the Altar Society. Lena and Harry loved traveling in their motorhomes, touring Ireland and the Holy Land, and several cruises. She was instrumental in creating memories with her children by paying for 26 family members to cruise in the Caribbean and taking a train trip to Glacier Park. Family get-togethers, especially Christmas Eve, was important to Lena. She proudly attended children and grandchildren's activities. Harry and Lena were outstanding dancers, and she was proud of being his "teacher." Lena passed away on Harry's birthday.   Perhaps Harry and Lena enjoyed a special polka on Harry's birthday.

Lena is survived by her five children: Wanda (Elvin) Agnew, Bismarck, and their children Kristen/Andrew Vetter  and Dennis/Tricia Agnew; Kenneth (Connie), Braddock, and their children Shana/Todd Klee, Amanda/Clint Fuller, and Justin/Sarah Wolbaum; Karen (Kenny) Mittleider, Mandan, and children Randall/Christina Mittleider and Steven/Erica Mittleider; Annette (Charles) Pavlicek, Linton, and children Aaron, Magen, and Jon/Brittany Pavlicek; and Bonita (Glenn) Hangaard, Hankinson, and children Carley/Adam Dub, Greta/Mitchell Leifert, and Daniel Hangaard. Lena so loved all her twenty-two great-grandchildren: Mya, Precious, Angeline, Derek, Madelyn, Grace, Sophia, Harrison, Mason, Caydon, Blake, Parker, Isaac, Scarlett, Emma, Juliet, Isabel, Olivia, Madison, Levi, Liam, and Cora. Lena's living in-laws include Josie Keller, Gus/Mary Ann Wolbaum, Eleanor Wolbaum, and Zyta LeRoy.

Proceeding Lena in death were her beloved Harry, her parents, brothers and sister Frank, Adam, Joe, and Benny Jangula and Helen Bosch.