Muriel Jean (Kotschevar) Stringer

Muriel Jean Stringer passed away Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Johnson Memorial Care Center, at the age of 99. 

There will be a celebration of Muriel’s life at Grace Lutheran Church in Dawson, Minnesota on Saturday, July 20, 2019.  Please join us at 10 am for visitation time, a remembrance of Muriel’s life at 11 am, and a luncheon in the church basement following the service.  Memorials preferred to Grace Lutheran Church, Dawson Public Library, Dawson Food Shelf, Rice Hospice or OneSpirit (PO Box 3209, Rapid City, SD 57709).

Muriel Jean Kotschevar Stringer was born on November 23, 1919 in Strathcona, Minnesota to Mathias and Edna Kotschevar.  She had one adopted sister, Pauline Sanders.  Muriel graduated from Greenbush High School and North Dakota State University with a degree in home economics.  She taught home economics for one year in Warroad, Minnesota.  After teaching for one year, Muriel boarded a train and moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her degree in dietetics.  While on the train, she met her future husband, Kenneth Stringer, who was on leave from the army during World War II and headed home to California.  

Muriel completed her dietetics training, and on February 15, 1945, married Kenneth Stringer in Greenbush, Minnesota.  Muriel and Ken had plans to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico so Ken could attend college, but bad weather and flat tires changed their plans.  They moved to Fargo, North Dakota, and Ken attended North Dakota State University, graduating with a degree in pharmacy.  Following Ken’s graduation, they moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota and in 1958 moved to Dawson, Minnesota, where both lived until their deaths.  

In Dawson they owned Stringer Drug, and Muriel worked as a consulting dietician at several area hospitals and nursing homes.  In addition to raising her daughters, Muriel served as a jack-of-all-trades at Stringer Drug, from decorating to bookkeeping to ordering gifts; in essence a marketing expert!

Ken and Muriel had four daughters:  Kathy, Kristy, Kari and Kimberly.  Kathy was born on November 26, 1945 and died on May 25, 1985.  Kristy was born on April 17, 1952 and died on July 8, 1952.  

Muriel loved life and all it had to offer.  She was an avid reader (the local library’s best customer) and crossword puzzle solver, loved to socialize, garden, travel, and play Scrabble and bridge.  Muriel always gave generously to others, and she had many, many friends.  She had the ability to spread joy everywhere she went, and she never met a stranger.  

Muriel is survived by daughters, Kari Stringer and Kimberly (Gregory) Zernechel, granddaughter, Sara Clayton, grandson, Noah Zernechel, great-grandchildren, Mandy Clayton and Michael Clayton, and brother-in-law Walter McLane.