Sigrid Bucklin

Sigrid was born at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota on December 8, 1938, and died at St. Alexius Hospital on August 3, 2023 following a heart attack. She passed peacefully surrounded by her children.

Sigrid recently enthusiastically exclaimed: “I love knitting and I love food!” She was a world class textile artist and gourmet chef, and expressed her creativity with love to serve others.

Sigrid’s textile art career began when at five years old she asked how to knit. By first grade she was knitting squares to incorporate into blankets for World War II soldiers. Her knitting picked up pace from there. In high school she knit an afghan of many colors, and continued throughout her life to knit amazing fisherman’s knit afghans for her children, grandchildren and siblings. She also knit multiple afghans of other types too. She knit baby hats for babies in the hospital nursery and blankets for still-born babies, prayer shawl blankets for her church, and pink scarves for cancer survivors. Sigrid also volunteered to teach knitting to Sons of Norway. Myriad of her hats, mittens, scarves, sweaters, and the like were also gifts to her children.

Sigrid’s embroidery received national recognition. As a member of the American Needlepoint Guild, she embroidered a Christmas stocking at the invitation of Barbara Bush (a co-American Needlepoint Guild member) for a Night Before Christmas display. The stocking hung on the White House Christmas tree, and is now archived at the White House. In addition, she contributed to the National Tapestry by the Embroiders Guild of America. She was also a member of the North Dakota Embroiders Guild and the Prairie Textile Arts Guild. Several of her needlepoint pieces have been displayed at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, MN. Her work is also in the North Dakota Heritage Center.

Sigrid’s textile arts expertise extended to needlework, hardanger, and crotchet. Notably, she sewed many of her children’s clothes and Halloween costumes, and was a prolific maker of Raggedy Anns and Andys for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and children of friends. She logged 61 Raggedy Anns and Andys, but there may have been more. As with the Raggedy Anns and Andys, much of her work was specifically made as a gift to others.

Turning to food, Sigrid was an excellent cook, and was a long-standing member of the Bismarck Gourmet club. As a world traveler, she brought her many culinary experiences to her arsenal of tools and created meals that rivaled and, in our opinion, bested every chef. She was a contributor and Committee Member for the Prairie Collection Cookbook, which benefited the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra. By its very nature, creation of wonderful food is done to serve it to others. Again, her passion for cooking became a gift made for others.

Sigrid was baptized in and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bismarck, ND. Her life in the Church was important to her, and there she served as an Elder, chaired the Christian Education Committee, taught Sunday School, and participated in the community in many ways, including recently serving on the banner committee. Sigrid was also a supporter of the Bismarck Mandan Symphony and the Veterans Memorial Library.

Sigrid graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Education. She married Leonard H. Bucklin in 1959. They then returned to Bismarck and had four children. Sigrid received a degree in Nursing from (the last class of) Mary College (University of Mary). She was a Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse. She helped establish the Rehabilitation Unit at St. Alexius in Bismarck, ND. She served there for two decades, and continued the theme to her life: She gave of herself for the good of others.

Sigrid’s devotion to others was also manifest in her devotion to family. She raised four children, and enjoyed being a grandmother and great-grandmother.

Sigrid is pre-deceased by her parents, Irene I. Kolb Zuger and John A. Zuger, Sr., and her brother, John A. Zuger, Jr.

Sigrid is survived by her children, Karen E. Sanchez (Ron Sanchez, Bozeman, MT), Anne Bucklin (Bismarck, ND), Davis L. Bucklin (Phoenix, AZ), and Douglas J. Bucklin (Cynthia L. Shock, Downingtown PA), and her grandchildren by Douglas and Cynthia: Alexandria L. Vernon (Father, Nick Vernon), and Isabel M., Andrew L., Jeffrey T., and Mark H. Bucklin. Alexandria (Aaron Brecht) also blessed Sigrid with four great-grandchildren: Serenity A. Brecht, Blake Holly Mathews, David C. Brecht, and Jack H. Vernon.

Sigrid is also survived by her brother, William P. Zuger (Joanie Johnson) and her sister, Ann Z. Pearce (William Pearce, deceased). She is also survived by Peter W. Zuger (Aubrey Fiebelkorn-Zuger) Jack E. Zuger (children of William Zuger and Mary Haunson), Russell J. Zuger (Lan Yao) and Diane Steele (Chris Steele) (children of John Zuger, Jr. and Ruth (Owens) Johnson), Elizabeth A. Pearce and Jean I. Pearce (Blaise A. Larson) (children of Ann and William Pearce). She was especially happy to recently meet baby Hazel L. Larson, daughter of Jean Pearce and Blaise Larson. Zane and Annika Buchli, children of Diane Zuger (Ian Buchli), Lois Zuger (daughter of Russell Zuger), Alan Yang (of Russell Zuger and Lan Yao), Aidan, Ellie, and Andrew Zuger (children of Peter Zuger and Aubrey Fiebelkorn-Zuger), and Michael, Brian, Kenneth, and Keith Shank (sons of Lyle Shank and Gail Bucklin Shank) were also cherished and survive Sigrid.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, August 12 at First Presbyterian Church, 214 E Thayer Ave., Bismarck. Visitation will be held one hour prior at the church.

Burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck.

Memorials may be sent to Ministry on the Margins, Bismarck, or the First Presbyterian Parish Nurse, Bismarck.