Details

Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271748
Title: Connie J. Hovdenes
Date: 11/20/1957-7/28/2025
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 11/20/1957
Summary: Connie Hovdenes, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully on July 28, 2025, in Carrington, ND, surrounded by her loving family. Her funeral service was held August 4, 2025, at Augustana Lutheran Church, Underwood, ND. Burial was at the Riverside Cemetery, Sheyenne, ND. Connie was born on November 20, 1957, in New Rockford, ND, to Allen and Ellen Messner of Sheyenne, ND. She grew up with a strong sense of compassion and commitment to others. On April 6, 1979, Connie married her soulmate, Robert Hovdenes, at a beautiful ceremony in New Rockford, ND. Together, they built a life centered on family, kindness, and unwavering support of their community and family and friends. She graduated from Lake Region College as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and dedicated several years to working in nursing homes, where her compassion for others flourished. Her nurturing spirit extended beyond her patients. She later founded her own day care business, where she helped guide and care for countless children, preparing them for the chapters ahead. Her joy in life came from nurturing and supporting those around her, especially her daycare kids, each of whom held a special place in her heart.? Dear to Connie’s heart were her grandchildren, who brought her endless joy and pride. She cherished every moment spent with them, creating lasting memories filled with laughter and love. Connie also enjoyed several hobbies that brought her immense happiness. She was an avid quilter, crafting beautiful and cozy pieces that were treasured by family and friends. Her passion for baking, especially cookies, ensured that her delicious creations were a staple at family gatherings, and she took great pleasure in decorating birthday cakes, making each celebration unforgettable. These hobbies weren’t just activities; they were extensions of Connie’s nurturing spirit. Through each quilt square, spoonful of dough, and swirl of frosting, she brought joy and connection to those around her. Connie is survived by her husband, Robert Hovdenes, Underwood, ND; son, Jason (Jodi) Hovdenes, Carrington, ND; daughter, Angela (Jesse) Carr, Underwood, ND; brothers, Steve (Barb) Messner, Sheyenne, ND, and Dallas Messner, Fairview, MT; sisters, Colleen (Richard) Hoffner, Sheyenne, ND, and Arleen (Brian) Doughtery, The Hills, Texas; sister-in-law, Jean Knudson with her children, Kayla and Amy, Minot, ND; grandchildren, Ean, Chloe and Carrie Hovdenes, Casen and Easton Carr; step-grandchildren, Chaz and Jarret Bauer; step-great- grandchild, Haddie Bauer. She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Ellen Messner, Sheyenne, ND; grandparents, George and Idelia Messner, Hamar, ND, Paul and Myrtle Smith, Sheyenne, ND; sister, Charleen Lesmeister; father and mother-in-law, Carl and Carrie Hovdenes; brothers-in-law, Frank LaMonica and Dave Knudson.
Red ID: FND_I_79243 Image ID: 532022 Image Notes: FND001 271748

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

Enter a subject or term in one or both of the “Search” boxes.

  • “Item Detail” searches the Title, Creator and Summary fields of all item-level records.
  • “Collection Number” searches the Collection Number field only and requires an exact match.

The “DETAILS” button provides additional information about an item, as well as the following options:

  • “Collection Summary” details the contents of the entire collection in which the selected item is located.
  • You can print the image and its corresponding details by selecting “Print".
  • “Digitized Images from the Collection” returns a list of all digitized items within that collection (available from the “Collection Summary” screen).

Click on image to expand/zoom the image view.

“Photobook home” takes you back to the main Photobook page where you can start a new search.

“Featured Collections” showcases new and/or popular collections and the digitized images within those collections.


Information on how to order copies is located here.

The collections preserved in the North Dakota State Archives include over a million images. Only a small percentage of these images have been digitized. This photo gallery provides a preview of the images that have been digitized.

For more information on the non-digitized images, please refer to the finding aids found on our website at history.nd.gov, or ask a member of our reference staff for assistance.