Edmund Pius Kilzer, 85, Bismarck, formerly of Mott, passed away April 13, 2006, at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center. Services will be held at 10:30 am on Monday, April 17, 2006 at St. Vincent's Catholic Church, Mott, with Fr. Charles Zins, officiating. Burial will follow at St. Vincent's Cemetery, Mott. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 pm Sunday, April 16th at St. Vincent's Catholic Church, and one hour prior to the Mass on Monday morning. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established by the family.

Edmund was born June 7, 1920, at the family farm south of Bentley, located in Hettinger County, the son of Frank and Clara (Gion) Kilzer. He worked on the family farm and attended school at the Assumption Abbey in Richardton.

He married Katherine Kom on October 22,1945, at the rural Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They began their life together on the family farm until Edmund built their home on land near the Kilzer homestead. There they operated a successful farming operation and raised 11 children who brought them great joy. Edmund was also a skilled carpenter and was known for his cabinetry work around the area including the church of St. John's in New Leipzig that he and his brother, Othmar helped to build. In the blacksmith shop he built, Edmund could be found inventing, constructing, remodeling, and tinkering.

Edmund was an active member of the Mott Knights of Columbus where he earned recognition as a 4th degree Knight. He served on the Jacobson Memorial Hospital board, the Good Samaritan Nursing Center board with his wife Katherine for 6 years, church boards and also the Bentley Equity Elevator board. He was a township tax assessor and later was elected and served as Hettinger County Commissioner for 8 years. He was proud to have served as county commissioner when the Regent to Gladstone road became paved.

Edmund was among the first farmers in North Dakota to consider conservation in his farming practices. He worked with the Soil Conservation Service and developed contour farming and tree planting practices to prevent wind erosion. He also worked with them to construct the Kilzer Dam, a popular bass and blue gill fishing lake for many families, including his own. As a result of his early efforts to adopt soil conservation practices to protect the land, Edmund was awarded the Greater North Dakota Conservation Farmer of the Year.
In January of 2003 he entered the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center where he enjoyed visiting, playing cards, doing crossword puzzles and fixing puzzles. The family wishes to thank all of the staff at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center.


Edmund is survived by his wife, Katherine, his sons Frank (Libby) and Darrell (Renee), daughters Laeticia (Leo) Voigt, Marie (Curt) Zimmerman, Sylvia (Les) Gion, Marlene, Theresa (Blase) Deichert, Yvonne (Kelly) Roth, Jackie (Wayne) Bohnet, Connie (Arvin) Herner and his twin sister, Sister Laeticia Kilzer. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Clara Kilzer, brothers Joseph, Ernest, Alois, Albert, Othmar, and Werner, sisters Clara, Rose, Ida, Ann, and Sister Philomene, and an infant daughter, Claudia, and one son Charles.