Wanda Mae Schlabsz

Wanda Mae, daughter of Annetta "Nettie" (Fregien) and Edwin "Eddie" Heinrich, was born January 16, 1954, in Ellendale, ND. Her family rented farms near Ashley, and when Wanda was 12, they settled on a farmstead 21 miles northeast of Ashley. She attended Ashley Public School and graduated with the AHS Class of 1972.

Wanda was united in marriage to Charles Schlabsz on August 19, 1972, in Ashley. They made their home northeast of Ashley, where they operated a dairy farm, raised chickens and many small animals, and welcomed three daughters: Shelly, Michelle, and Melissa. Charles passed away on July 18, 1988.

Wanda later met Curtis Nies, and together they lived on the Nies farm nine miles north of Ashley. They had one daughter, April. Curtis passed away on March 25, 2025. Wanda continued to make her home in Ashley for the remainder of her life.

Wanda devoted many years to her work as a cook. She began at Scott's Family Restaurant, which later became Dakota Family Restaurant under the ownership of Paul and Sandra Miller. After the business was sold, she took a cooking position at Ashley Medical Center, where she worked from 2008 until her retirement in July 2024.

She was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in Ashley. Wanda had a deep love for gardening, canning and pickling, caring for her many houseplants, and sewing. Above all, she especially loved her family. She devoted her life to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Wanda spent her retirement traveling to visit her grandchildren in Fargo/Moorhead and visiting the farm often to help with gardening, canning pickles, and playing with her most recent twin grandchildren. Attending family events and watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow was her best treasured life accomplishment.

Wanda Mae Schlabsz, 72, Ashley, ND, died at her home Friday, April 24, 2026. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 AM, Friday, May 1, 2026 at Zion Lutheran Church, Ashley, led by Minister Amanda Nitschke. Interment follows at the Church Cemetery. Usher will be Denny Hoffman; organist will be Steve Glaesmann; Congregational Hymns will be "In the Garden" and "What a Friend we have in Jesus"; and recorded vocals will be "Still Waters" by Leanna Crawford and "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me.

Wanda is survived by Four daughters-Shelly (Jami) Hills of Moorhead, MN, Michelle (John) Kempf and April (Jeremy Arlien) Nies of Ashley, and Melissa (John) Bengson of Fargo, ND; three brothers-Lester Heinrich, Larry Heinrich, and Jim Heinrich of Ashley; one sister-Peggy Pribula of Grand Forks, ND; nine grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

In addition to Charles and Curtis, she was preceded in death by her father, Eddie, on September 15, 2015; and her mother, Nettie, on December 12, 2020.

Casketbearers will be nephews Adam Pribula of Grand Forks and Travis Pribula of Williston, ND; cousin Joe Fregien of Ashley; and grandsons-Tanner Kempf of Horace, ND, and Mason Hills and Carson Hills of Moorhead.