Vivian Streyle

Vivian Mae (Erbstoesser) Streyle, 98, passed away on February 23, 2024, at St. Gabriel’s Community.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 1, at House of Prayer Lutheran Church, 1470 S. Washington St., Bismarck. Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow the service at the church.

Vivian was born on May 21, 1925, to Ella (Reetz) and George Erbstoesser in Bismarck. Her mother was a homesteader, and Vivian was also a strong German woman with a kind and gentle soul. When her father ran the general store in Antelope, Vivian attended the one-room schoolhouse that still sits on the south side of I-94. She also attended school at the Richardton Abbey, then graduated from Halliday High School in 1942, being honored with riding on the school float in the Halliday Centennial parade in 2014. In high school she was a good basketball player and with her team, went to the state tournament.

Vivian attended Dakota Business College in Fargo where she learned and perfected her beautiful penmanship. Her first job took her to Hazelton where she was a bank teller, and she forever balanced to the penny!

It was in Hazelton where she met Kenneth Streyle, and they were married on October 9, 1949. They later moved to Linton and opened Streyle’s Our Own Hardware, where she did the bookkeeping. After selling the store and retiring, they spent 30 years in Sun City, AZ, where she played bridge, did ceramics, and they enjoyed entertaining lots of family and friends from the north.

In midlife she served in a variety of volunteer positions at church and school -- church council, Sunday school teacher, Altar Guild in both Linton and Sun City, and she was the American Cancer Society’s leader for Emmons County.

They visited lots of great places over the years, but a trip to the Holy Land with her AZ church group was a highlight for her and was a trip her father took decades before her. She always loved going back to western North Dakota, and never tired of the Medora musical. Following the Minnesota Twins with her family was something she always enjoyed.

In her 11 years at Touchmark Senior Living, Vivian made lots of good friends, was an avid bridge player, served on the Resident Council, volunteered delivering cupcakes to residents on birthdays, and assisted the activity staff by writing thank you notes. She enjoyed baking cookies for Matthew and dog treats for Buddy, as well as kuchen, bread and buns for all. After moving to St. Gabriel’s in May of 2023, she continued to enjoy bingo and jigsaw puzzles.

She is survived by son, Duane (Ruby) Martinson, Lindstrom, MN; and daughters, Gloria (Dale) Morris, Murrells Inlet, SC; and Doreen Streyle, Bismarck. Grandchildren Kristy (Brian) Graves, Jamie (Lynn) Martinson, and Matthew Mehlhoff; great-grandchildren Carson and Carlee Graves, Ava and Vince Martinson, and great-granddog, Buddy. Sisters-in-law Emma Streyle and Janet Erbstoesser; and many nieces and nephews.

Vivian was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth (2012); her parents, George and Ella (Reetz) Erbstoesser; his parents, Christ and Barbara (Preszler) Streyle; brothers, Arnold (Ethel) and Gordon Erbstoesser; in-laws, Elmer (Elizabeth) Streyle, Arnold (Norma) Streyle, Gladys (Elmer) Johnson, and Dale Streyle.

Memorials may be given to House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Central Dakota Humane Society, The Dream Center, or the charity of your choice.