Lena Overby, 97, Cando, ND, passed away Friday, July 27, 2012 at the Towner County Living Center in Cando, ND.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cando with Fr. Joseph D'Aco, celebrant. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Cando. Visitation will be at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home, Cando on Monday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Tuesday will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Serving as casket bearers will be Eric Overby, Terry Hartl, Bill Hoffman, Bill Hartl,  Fred Bonn, Tim Bonn, John Hocking & Dan Hocking. Music will be from Gladys Fluge and the Sacred Heart Church Choir.

Lena Hartl was born January 5, 1915, in Altoona, PA, to Alois and Anna (Shaudeck) Hartl.  The family moved to North Dakota when Lena was five years old.  Her family eventually settled on a farm near Egeland, ND.  It was while living at that farm that she attended Egeland Public School.  Her parents purchased a farm in Coolin Township in 1927.  She then attended school at Coolin Country School, which was one mile from where the family lived.  Lena married Stanley (Red) Overby from Finley, ND, on February 24, 1941 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cando, ND.  They lived in Cando, where they raised their son Larry.

Lena worked at various businesses in Cando, including Annie Carmikel, Dr. Olafson, Coast to Coast Store for George and Alvina Kling, Avis Christenson, Roy and Mae Canfield Store (now the Record Herold) until it was sold to Johnson Store, where she worked until it closed.  She was care taker of the Sacred Heart Cemetery and Sacred Heart Church for twenty years.   She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church as well as a member of the Christian Mother's Altar Society. Although Lena worked hard for most of her life, she always had a smile on her face, and she never ever left the house without her earrings and her lipstick.  Lena and her sister Louise (Hoffman) loved to sing and yodel.  They sang and yodeled at "barn dances" and won many contests.  Lena was blessed with a beautiful singing voice that caught the attention of everyone who knew her.  The highlight of Lena's "career" came when she won a contest to sing for the radio station in Devils Lake.  She sang "Little Black Mustache" and won first prize.  She loved music and always had time for her son, Larry, and his friends to gather at her house to sing, listen to records, and play the guitar.  Lena was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt.  Everyone has fond memories of this beautiful, kind lady and she will be missed by all.

Lena is survived by her son, Larry (Bernice) Overby of Lakeville, MN; grandchildren: Brenda Stafford (Joe Hertzog) of Lakeville, MN and Eric Overby (Kelley) of Farmington, MN;  great-grandchildren: Dalten Stafford, Slade Stafford, Gage Overby, Justis Overby, and Raedyn Overby;  sisters: Louise Hoffman of Cando, ND, and Mary Hocking of Wilton, ND; sisters-in-law: Louise Hartl and Elizebeth Hartl both of Cando, ND; and step-sisters:  Elsie (Sterling) Weiker of Cando, ND and Mary Hanson, TX.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Stanley, two infant daughters: Mary Kay and Mary Margaret, sisters: Agnes Hartl and Ann Bonn, brothers: Alois, Joe, Frank, and Alfred Hartl, sister-in-law: Elsie Hartl, brothers-in-law:  Fred Bonn, Glen Hocking and Willie Hoffman, niece: Sherry Hocking, nephew: Joe (Sonny) Hartl, grandson-in-law, Danny Stafford, and step-mother: Katie Hartl.