Bella Christensen, 98, Harvey, ND died Sunday, November 20, 2011 at the St. Aloisius Nursing Home, Harvey, ND.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 25, 2011 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Harvey, ND.

Burial will be in Hillsdale Cemetery, rural Harvey.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hertz Funeral Home, Harvey.

Bella was born on May 18, 1913 on the family farm west of Harvey. She was the daughter of Ole and Kari (Gjerde) Christensen. She was born with dislocated hips but managed through prayer and persistence to overcome the ailment and became a "walking and working miracle." She worked alongside her father and siblings shocking and hauling grain, milking cows, gathering and washing eggs. She also cared for and raised her nephew Elwood. Bella was part of a musical family. Evenings were filled with guitar, violin and harmonica music. Bella with her strong alto voice sang with her brother, Ansgar and sister, Esther at home and at church functions. Bella also became a seasoned seamstress. She sewed fashionable and quality garments for family and friends. Later in life she cared for her mother and continued to live on the family farm until 1980. She moved into Harvey and lived in an apartment. She met new friends and continued sewing and being active in her church. Bella entered the St. Aloisius Nursing Home in 2007.

Bella was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She was also a member of the Hillsdale Homemakers and once traveled with her homemaker friends to Chicago.

Bella is survived by six nieces, Florence Melby, Rose Frey and Ovine Marzolf all of Harvey, Sally Hatzenbuler, Sparks, NV, Nancy Stoltz, Milton-Freewater, Oregon, Donna Schimke, Warroad, MN; two nephews, Gordon Christenson of Harvey and Elwood Christenson of Riverside, CA. Bella was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Karnof, Menser, Ansgar, sister, Esther Palmer; half sister, Ida Gjerde, half brother Gust Christenson.