Eugene (Eug) Siewert passed away suddenly July 27, 2007 at the Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. Private family services will be held in Elgin. Pastor Al Gaines will officiate.


Eugene was born April 16, 1949 in Elgin, ND, the son of Gotthilf and Olga (Fehling) Siewert. He lived in Elgin his entire life. He attended Elgin Public School and graduated with 12 years of perfect attendance. He worked at the Elgin News office during his high school years. After graduation, he completed the Dale Carnegie Business Course and began work at the local Jack & Jill store and later became the butcher. While working at the store he saw a young nurse driving by each day in her 1959 blue Cadillac going to work at the Jacobson Memorial Hospital. They had known each other as children going to the same Bible schools and church camps, and more than a friendship was kindled. Eugene married Vicki Provolt on October 5, 1974. Eugene and Vicki purchased the Jack & Jill Store in January 1975 and ran it as a family business. He was active in the firemen's and commercial club and served on many celebration committees. Eugene and Vicki had one daughter, Monique. During her senior year in high school, they hosted a foreign exchange student from Denmark, Charlotte Marker.


When their nest became empty, Vicki continued her job as community health nurse and Eugene ran the store, making more country style sausage than he could count. In 1990, while working on an outside light fixture at the store, he fell and sustained a head injury and was hospitalized for seven months. Unable to return to the store, Vicki and Eugene later sold the business to Diane and Mitchell Beck. Eugene was taught how to weave rugs while recovering in the hospital. His interest in weaving rugs then turned into a small business. One of Eugene's proudest moments was walking his daughter down the aisle for her wedding. Monique and her husband Jim Johnson surprised Eugene and Vicki on their 25th Wedding Anniversary with a family trip to Denmark and Norway. While in Denmark, they met their exchange student, Charlotte Markers family and were treated royally.


Eugene liked to work with his hands and made birdhouses both for the birds and for decoration. He loved finding and fixing up antiques and refinished a beautiful armoire for his grandson, Adam Scott Johnson. If there was an auction sale nearby, you could be sure Eugene would be there. He also enjoyed spending time at the library reading and learning about gardening. Each year his garden grew larger and in 2005, he and Vicki canned nearly 300 jars of produce, jams, jellies, and pickles.


Since the year 2000 and the birth of his grandson Adam, you could find Eugene and Vicki traveling to Minnesota to visit Adam or bringing him to North Dakota to play in what Adam called "the country". Adam was Eugene's "best pal" along with Eug's cat, Stubby. The whole week preceding his death was spent with both of them just as he would have wanted it.


Eugene is survived by his wife, Vicki; daughter, Monique (Jim) Johnson, Brooklyn Park, MN; grandson, Adam; 2 brothers, George (Linda) Siewert and family, Shepherd, MT; Gary (Linda) Siewert and family, Surrey, ND; half-brother, Dale (June) Siewert and family, Aberdeen, SD.


In death, Eugene gave the gift of life through organ donation.


In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the New Leipzig Ambulance Service.