Alana Harden

In the early morning hours of November 20, 2020, Alana Marie Harden passed away peacefully at her home in Grandin, ND, under the loving care of her family and Sanford Hospice.

Alana was born May 24, 1965, in Fargo, ND, to Alan and Ona (Ostern) Ellenson.  She grew up on the family farm in Gardner, ND with her three siblings, John, Lee and Anita.  Alana attended Hendrum-Perley High School until Norman County West was formed in her senior year and she was the first class to graduate from Norman County West High School in 1983.  She then attended North Dakota State University for 3 years as a Criminal Justice major.  Although she enjoyed her studies at NDSU, her lifelong love for children took over and she began her career in childcare by being a fulltime nanny for 3 different families and later through employment at Blossom Bright and Here We Grow.  Over the years Alana provided nurturing care to countless numbers of children, often working alongside her sister, Anita.  In 2018, Alana’s employment at Here We Grow ended as the business was sold and it opened the door for her to become a caregiver for her 95 year- old father, Alan, as his health began to decline.  Alana cherished the time she was able to care for Alan until he passed away on August 11, 2018.

As a young girl growing up on the farm, Alana was a tomboy at heart.  She always wanted a horse, and would scour the ads in the Green Sheets every Friday, but instead, her Dad bought her a brand new Honda dirt bike, which she cherished and loved riding and had no problem keeping up with her brothers. Through her family she developed a strong work ethic, persistent faith,  and a deep and natural affection for children which she bestowed not only on her own children, but on all those she was blessed to have in her care over the years.

Alana married the love of her life, Mike Harden, on a sunny September 10, 1999 at her beloved Nora Lutheran Church in rural Gardner, ND.  They lived the first half of their lives together at rural Hawley, MN, near the farm where Mike grew up.  They moved to Fargo in 2013, and to their current home in Grandin, ND in 2016.  They discovered early on that they shared a love of classic rock music, and when the “classic bands” started touring again, their “thing to do” became attending concerts.  One week after their wedding they got in line at 4 A.M. at Mother’s Records for Lynyrd Skynrd and ZZ Top.  Over the their 21 years together they saw many bands, including Kiss, Journey, Styx, Aerosmith, Guns N Roses, Neil Diamond, James Taylor, Cher, Bon Jovi, Poison, Motley Crue, The Eagles twice, Ringo twice and Def Leppard 4 times.  Being the hugest Beatles Fan, Alana’s ultimate show was when Paul McCartney came to Fargo.  She had then proclaimed that she could now die happy!  No one, and I mean NO one, could ever outdo Alana in Beatles trivia!

On November 29, 2001, when in labor with her proudest achievement, Ethan, it was announced on the TV that Beatles member, George Harrison had died.  She declared that this baby CANNOT be born on the day that George Harrison died…!! And…he was not…!! He was born at midnight on November 30^th.  Ethan quickly assumed his parent’s love of classic rock and attended his first concert with them at age 6.

She was a dedicated member of Nora Lutheran Church all her life and she faithfully served as the first female president of church council, leading through the devastating year of 1997 when the church was flooded.  With a servant’s heart, she taught Sunday school for many years and was committed to keeping kids in church by reorganizing the Sunday school program alongside her sister, Anita.

Alana will forever be missed by her best friend and husband, Mike; their children, Ethan Harden, Parker Hanson-Harden, Sarah Harden and Patrick Harden; her mother, Ona Ellenson; and her siblings, John (Pam) Ellenson, Lee Ellenson and Anita (Sean) Jalbert.  The legacy of her love for children will live on in her grandchildren, Liam and Gavin, and in all her nieces and nephews: Tess and Emme Jalbert, Nathan (Alexandra Webb) Ellenson, Justin (Hannah Hansen) Ellenson, Daniel (Tiffany) Ellenson (their children, Haddie, Sylis and Edie), Benjamin (Maddie Reusch) Ellenson, Anna Ellenson, Abby Harden, Margo Kugler (her daughter, Carter), Trystin Lanigan and Garrick Rodewald.  She also leaves behind many extended family members and an endless number of friends.

She was welcomed into Heaven by her father, Alan Ellenson, and her infant sister, Heidi.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Roger Maris Cancer Center and Sanford Hospice for all their wonderful and loving care of Alana.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Alana’s Go Fund Me account below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/love-for-alana?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Visitation will be held Tuesday, November 24, 2020, from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M., at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead.  Masks will be required and social distancing must be observed.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions on attendance, the funeral service will be a private family service on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, at 2:00 P.M., at Nora Lutheran Church in rural Gardner, ND.

There will be a livestream of the funeral service beginning at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday here on Alana’s webpage.