Luella Lang

Luella M. (Schlenker) Lang passed away on June 23, 2022, at the Baptist Health Care Center in Bismarck.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 28, at Capital Christian Church, 3838 Jericho Road, Bismarck, with a graveside service at the Goodrich Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.

Fellowship will be held at the First Baptist Church in Goodrich after the burial.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 27, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, with a prayer service starting at 7 p.m.

Luella was born on June 14, 1928, to John and Martha (Konschak) Schlenker. Luella was the oldest of four children. She grew up on the family farm near Goodrich and attended Goodrich Public School. Luella married William “Bill” Lang on November 14, 1946, and they were blessed with three children: Ken, Chuck and JoLynn.

In the early years of their marriage, Bill and Luella owned and operated the Goodrich Café. In 1955, Luella started working in the Goodrich Post Office as a postal clerk and after a few years took over as Postmaster. Luella retired from the United States Postal Service in 1985 after being employed by the Federal Government for over 30 years. Luella and Bill were married for 45 years at the time of Bill’s passing in 1991.

Luella loved entertaining and getting together with friends to play cards. Every Saturday she made sure to prepare fresh bread, buns, caramel rolls, pies and kuchen. She especially loved having all her family around the large dining room table anytime she could.

She was an active member of the First Baptist Church while she and Bill lived in Goodrich. Luella touched the lives of many individuals, young and old, for several years as she taught Sunday school to elementary students and played piano and organ for church services. Luella had a love of gospel quartet music and was happy anytime she could attend one of Ken’s performances. Upon Bill’s death in 1991, and after spending several years alone in Goodrich, Luella moved to Bismarck in 1998 to be closer to her family.

Luella was a proud member of the Harvey Eagles Auxiliary for over 50 years. The last trip Luella made was to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2015 to see her son, Chuck, installed as the National Grand Worthy President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2017, and having her kidney removed at the age of 89, Luella continued to be the strong woman she always was (even until her last breath), never complaining and fully relying on God as she fought the cancer raging through her body. For anyone asking how she was feeling, Luella would say, “The Lord’s been good to me, and I don’t deserve it.”  More than once, Luella’s oncologist said that the Lord was working a miracle in Luella’s life.

We want to thank all of Luella’s caregivers at the Baptist Home for the excellent care she received during her six months there.

Luella is survived by her son, Ken (Pam) Lang; and daughter, JoLynn (Mark) Pennington, all of Bismarck; daughter-in-law, Brenda Lang, Harvey; grandchildren, Kenton (Gray) Lang, Bismarck, Justin Lang, Minot, Eric (Nichol) Lang, Bottineau, Mitch (Stacey) Lang, Bismarck, Jessica Tipton and Tyler Lang, both of Harvey, Kayla Pennington, Becca Pennington and Chris Pennington, all of Bismarck; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Jeri Lang, Stockton, California, and Margo Lang, West Fargo; and numerous nephews and nieces. 

Luella was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; son, Chuck; parents, John and Martha Schlenker; sisters, Mayola Heib and Katie Papke; brother, Lloyd Schlenker; brothers-in-law, Roy Papke, Floyd Lang, Lee Lang and Larry Lang, and Herbert Reule; and sisters-in-law, Delores Lang and Beatrice Reule.