Lillian Marie Hickel passed away on May 8, 2021 in Stanley, ND. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Kenneth, her parents, her sister Borghild and two infant brothers.

Lillian was born in Ray, ND on October 10, 1929 to Hans and Ambjorg (Suterud) Kopsland. She grew up on the family farm north of Ray and attended country school in South Meadow Township. While attending high school in Ray, she worked as a night operator at the local phone company where she met her future husband, Kenneth. After graduating in 1947, she moved to Williston and worked as a nurse’ aid at Mercy Hospital. On December 3, 1948 she married Kenneth Hickel and moved to Mill City, Oregon where they built and operated a pool hall and lunch counter. They returned to Williston in 1953 to raise their family.

Lillian enjoyed traveling, visiting relatives on the west coast every summer, and took a trip to Norway in 1976. There she met her extended family in Hokksund, the community where her parents had lived before immigrating to the United States. She volunteered at the Williston Senior Heritage Center’s lunch program for 20+ years. She was a member of the Sons of Norway and the First Lutheran Church. She looked forward to the Church’s annual bake sale and was proud that her perfect krumkakke, rosettes, and sandbakkels were always among the first sold. She enjoyed working at the Church in preparation for the annual Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner, especially on lefse making day.

Lillian lived a quiet life spending time with her cats, tending plants in her backyard greenhouse, painting and firing ceramics in her kiln, playing her organ and sewing beautiful quilts. Her children were the center of her life and she never missed their sporting events, band concerts, or award ceremonies. She loved to bake, especially Scandanavian cookies and had an extensive collection of cookbooks that she read cover to cover. In 2016, she relocated to Centennial Court in Stanley when Kenneth moved to the Mountrail Bethel Home. There she made friends, enjoyed the numerous activities, and settled into the comforts of apartment living.

She is survived by her children, Marcia Hartsoch of Tioga, Richard (Wanda) Hickel of Kalispell, MT, daughter Cheryl (Bill) Buchanan of Tuscaloosa, AL; grandchildren Heidi (Jarrod) Vigness, Nancy (Gary) Conlee, Douglas (Katrina) Hickel, Jeffrey Hickel, Alexandra Smith, Oliver Smith, Elliot Smith and great grandchildren Emily, Abbey, Zachary and Madeline.