Margaret Louise Law

Margaret Louise Law, 82, died peacefully on Saturday morning, May 27, 2023, at Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile, Minnesota.

Margaret was born in Greenbush, Minnesota on March 16, 1941 to Ernest and Theresa (Kranz) Oistad, and was baptized in the Catholic faith. The family lived in Greenbush and Thief River Falls before settling in Karlstad in 1944.  

Margaret was the oldest of five siblings: Charlotte, Grace, Myrna, and Gregory. She graduated from Karlstad High School in 1959 and moved to Fargo, ND the following fall to attend Interstate Business School. She was later employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Fargo. 

On November 8, 1976, Margaret was united in marriage at St. Edward’s Church in Karlstad to Herbert Roy Law of Beltrami, MN, a widower and father of two children, Lisa and Darrin, to whom Margaret became stepmother. The family lived on their farm near Beltrami, MN where Margaret and Herbert remained until Herbert’s death on April 11, 2017. Margaret then moved to an apartment in Fertile, MN, where she lived until 2021, when she moved to Fair Meadow Nursing Home.

Margaret’s greatest love was her family. Many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, as well as her two children and two grandchildren were the recipients of afghans Margaret knitted for them. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary and until recently kept up regular written correspondence with many friends and family in the form of notes, cards and letters. Margaret enjoyed baking, crossword and word-find puzzles, collecting pens, figurines and vintage tableware with her husband, watching the Minnesota Twins and socializing and playing BINGO with her apartment neighbors in Fertile. She also became a hockey fan, never missing an opportunity to watch her great-nephew Jake Oettinger compete on television as goalie for the Dallas Stars. Margaret will be remembered by loved ones for her sweet thoughtfulness, quirky sense of humor and love of family. 

She is survived by her children: Lisa (Paul) Hatlestad of Erskine, MN, and Darrin (Diane) Law of Grand Forks, ND, two grandsons: Dane and Daniel Law of Grand Forks, ND, three sisters: Charlotte (Gerald) Johnson of Moorhead, MN, Grace Wheeler of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Myrna (Donald) Oettinger of Lakeville, MN, one brother: Gregory (Brenda) Oistad of Moorhead, MN, 11 nieces and nephews and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, a brother-in-law, Robert Wheeler and niece, Kara Oettinger. 

Visitation will be Friday, June 2 at the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home, Crookston, at 2:00 P.M., followed at 3:00 P.M. by a memorial service honoring Margaret’s life with Pastor Gregory Isaacson officiating.  Livestreaming will be available for those who cannot attend.