The Funeral Service for Jay E. Seamands, age 71 of Hettinger, will be held at 10:30am MT, on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at the Hettinger Lutheran Church with Pastor Kathleen Dettmann, officiating.


Burial will be at 2:00pm CT on Friday, January 2, 2015 at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan with full military honors.

A family service will be held at 7:00pm on Tuesday evening at the Centennial Chapel of the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger.

Serving as casketbearers are Gene, Jerome, John, Jerel, and Jeff Seamands, and Mike McCarthy. His three grandchildren are considered honorary bearers.

Special music will be provided by Brenda Davis.

JAY ELWYN SEAMANDS was born on June 26, 1943 in Hettinger, ND to Lowell and Muriel (Surrell) Seamands. He grew up in Hettinger and graduated from Hettinger High School in 1961. During his school he participated in FFA, wrestling, and football. During high school, Jay enlisted into the U.S. Army National Guard. He was called to active duty during his enlistment and was honorably discharged in 1968.


Jay returned to Hettinger and began working at the Farmers Elevator. He then was employed at the Hettinger Equity Exchange until his retirement in 2009 due to health reasons. He worked then part-time for the Archibald Ranch.

Jay was united in marriage to Francie Eva Ihle on June 29, 1968. To this union were born three daughters, Candee "Snooks", Codee "Muff", and Kellee "Tyg".

Jay passed away on Friday, December 26, 2014 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger.

Surviving family members include his wife, Francie, 3 daughters, Candee Doerr, Mandan, ND; Codee (Mike) McCarthy, Hettinger, ND; Kellee Seamands (Darrell Getz), Rhame, ND; 3 grandchildren, Braydyn, Talyn, and Mataya; 6 brothers, Jim (Carol) Seamands, Gene Seamands, Jerome Seamands, Jon (Alice) Seamands, Jerel (Arlinda) Seamands, and Jeff Seamands, all of Hettinger, ND; 2 sisters, Jolene (Earl) Erickson, Hettinger, ND; Judy Markegaard, Detroit Lakes, MN; numerous nieces and nephews; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law on the Ihle side of the family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lowell and Muriel Seamands, father and mother-in-law, Anton and Eva Ihle, sister-in-law, Bonnie Seamands, a nephew, Shannon Markegaard, and a great nephew, Ryan Seamands and numerous family on the Ihle side.

Visitation will be held at Tuesday from 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Centennial Chapel of the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger.

A Memorial has been established at Dakota Plains Federal Credit Union and Dakota Western Bank.