Adonna Elaine (Van Berkom) Thorlaksen was born July 11, 1925 to John and Esther Van Berkom at the Breding house in Powers Lake.

She attended school in Powers Lake until about 5th grade, and then she was forced to attend rural school or pay tuition to the town school. Adonna finished high school in Powers Lake.

After her 17th birthday she headed west to Tacoma and on to California where she found that she was too young to land a job in the shipyard, which was her dream job. She worked various jobs and ended up making Chinese money to send to the troops overseas. When the war ended her work place closed down and she headed back to North Dakota.

Adonna was not out of work for long. Her mother found her a teaching job at a rural school by Coteau. She lived at the school for three weeks at a time and would have to haul enough water for the school to last a week. A friend asked Roy to help one week and that was the beginning of Roy and Adonna. They eloped to Plentywood, Montana on May 30, 1947 married and had three children. Ricky (Audrey), Powers Lake, Monica (Joe) Lukach, Minot and Michelle (Bruce) Voth, Berthold. 7 grandchildren: Bryn (Tristan) Iverson, Minot; Matt (Nicole) Lukach, East Grand Forks, MN; Becky (Wade) Thorlaksen, Burlington; Judd (Cayleen) Thorlaksen, Powers Lake; Michael Thorlaksen, Powers Lake; Paul (Tanya) Voth, Lynnwood, WA; Sadie (Chris) Volk, Minot. Eleven great-grandchildren: Marleigh and Ty Iverson; Sophia, Natalie, Rylan, and Josie Lukach; Stella and Emery Thorlaksen; Thad and Clarke Volk.

Adonna was a member of Bethel Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and was the church treasurer for many years. She worked at Breding Chevrolet and then at Liberty State Bank for 40 some years. She loved her work and missed it when she retired. She loved reading, golfing, shopping, playing cards and all activities with her family members. She was also an avid PL Rancher fan. Adonna adored her grandchildren and great grandchildren and cherished the time spent with them. She went to as many of their activities as she could! She treasured her brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews and the time spent with them. She hosted many Christmases for them creating many memories! She always had her chocolate chip cookies in the freezer and frozen snickers. When people came to the house they would go straight to the freezer and help themselves.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; parents, John and Esther Van Berkom; sister, Darlene Grubb; brother, Roger Van Berkom; father/mother-in-law, Einar and Jean Thorlaksen; brothers-in-law, Clem, Bill, Art and Orvin Thorlaksen, Daren Grubb, and Ralph Schreiner. Three grandchildren, Jennifer Lukach, Richard and Jana Thorlaksen. Two great-grandchildren, Brinley and Avery Thorlaksen.

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