Funeral services for Dale Thormodsgard, 89, of Hettinger, ND will be Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Kathleen Dettmann will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 17 at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Home and one hour prior at the church on Sunday afternoon.


Dale Austin Thormodsgard was born June 8, 1925 at Hudson South Dakota to Nels and Dagna Sanderson Thormodsgard. In 1928 his parents moved back to the farm 12 miles NE of Hettinger where Dale continued to live and farm with his Dad. In 1951 Dale was employed at P.E. Knudson Mill & Elevator and Hersrud Implement and in 1953 moved to the Richard Johnson Farm, living there for 5 years. Dale took over the family farm in 1958, milking cows and farming until moving to town in January 2011. He entered Western Horizon Care Center in January 2012 where he was beloved by all and peacefully passed away Saturday, January 10, 2015.


Dale attended Taylor Butte grade school having perfect attendance and graduated from Hettinger High School in 1943. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was a long time member of the Richland Lutheran Church.


On June 24, 1951 he married the love of his life, Delores Kathleen Oster, at Peace Lutheran Church in Scranton, North Dakota. To this union six children were born, Norman, Kathleen, Susan, James, Neil, and Allen. Just when he thought his heart couldn't get any bigger, he was blessed with many grandchildren and many more great grandchildren. He found endless delight in spending time with his brood.

Dale passed away at the Western Horizon's Care Center in Hettinger on Saturday, January 10, 2015.


Dale will be remembered for his big heart, dedication to his family and willingness to always lend a helping hand. He was a kind, dedicated man who rarely complained, but had thick, hardworking hands that told his story. He loved to fish and secretly show off his fishing rods to his sons and son in laws, a man's pastime that kept him young. Most notably, he had this innate ability to construct beautiful creations, after observing the object once, out of wood that personified his kind heart and alluring soul. He spent many hours making clocks, furniture, and cabinets which have blessed the homes of his wife, children and grandchildren and his livelihood will be cherished through these artifacts for generations to come.

Dale is survived by his wife Delores, daughters Kathleen (Dean)Erickson, Bismarck, and Susan (Peter)Anderson, Lodgepole, sons James Thormodsgard, Miles City, MT., Neil (Karen)Thormodsgard, Briggsdale, CO., and Allen Thormodsgard, Edmond, OK., 16 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.


He was preceded in death by son Norman, daughter in law Vonda, parents Nels and Dagna Thormodsgard, brother Norman (WWII), sister Mayme and her husband Andrew Erickson, and brother in law Harold Oster.