Moorhead - O. Nolen Ness, 73, died Wednesday, August 20, 1997 at Meritcare Hospital in Fargo, ND.
O. Nolen Ness was born May 31, 1924 at Erskine, the son of H.O. "Ole" and Florinda (Melquist) Ness.
The Ness family lived at a number of Minnesota cities including Erskine, Bagley, Fosston and Crookston. Nolen attended elementary school at Thief River Falls and graduated in 1943 from Lincoln High School. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Navy and served as a telegraph operator and radioman in the Asiatic Pacific area. Upon his discharge in 1946, Nolan lived in Rolla, ND where he worked for the Great Northern Railroad.
On October 9, 1949, he married Johanna Royland at Rolla. They made their home at Rolla until the railroad transferred him to Fargo, ND. He retired as a clerk from the Burlington Northern Railway in 1984. He served as president of the Local Union Chapter of BRAC.
Nolan was very active in sports. In Rolla, he played for Team Rolla, a semi-pro basesball team from 1946 to 1957. During those same years, he played semi-pro hockey for Team Rolla of the North Central Hockey League. He coached peewee hockey and little league baseball from 1948 to 1956. In Moorhead, he coached park board hockey and baseball at Northeast Park from 1960 to 1964. Nolen was one of the persons responsible for starting hockey at Moorhead High School in 1966. He coached the KC's Babe Ruth baseball team, the Sportland Babe Ruth baseball team and the VFW adult softball team, all in Moorhead.
Nolan was also very active in civic activities. He served as Cubmaster of Scout Pack 638 at Washington School in north Moorhead. He taught Sunday school at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. He was a member of he American Legion in both Rolla and Moorhead and a life member of Moorhead VFW where he served as commander from 1967 to 1968. Nolan was a life member of the Cooties Pup Tent #34 Red River Rats, serving as Team Squirrel from 1977 to 1978 and 10th District Commander from 1993 to 1994. On the national level, Nolan served as 10th District ND-MN Commander. He attended the laying of the wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier from 1988 to 1994 and made many trips to the VFW National Home in Michigan.
Following retirement, Nolen and Johanna spent summers at their lake home at Union Lake near Erskine, where he enjoyed flowers and gardening. Hunting was his passion, and he spent many restful hours at his hunting shack near Lnacaster.
Nolan is survived by his wife, Johanna of Moorhead; two sons, Helmer of Fargo, ND and Clayton of Moorhead; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three brothers, Francis (Dorothy) of St. Vincent, Gerald (Beverly) of Moorhead and Ronald (Darlene) of Grand Forks, ND; and one sister, Shirley Sermonwich of Hibbing.