Bruce
Hillestad, 60
Thief
River Falls - Bruce Hillestad, 60, died
Thursday, November 29, 2001 at his rural Thief
River Falls home.
Funeral
services were held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 2,
at the Evangelical Free Church in Thief River Falls
with Rev. Mel Sich officiating. Karen Sich was the
organist, and the soloist was Brett Anderson.
Casketbearers were Frank Burkholder, Ronald
Carlson, Shawn Carlson, Gary Hoper, Art Tranby and
Donald Haagenson. Honorary casketbearers were sons,
Kevin and Cory, and daughters, Kim, Pam and Jana.
Interment was in Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River
Falls with Green Funeral Home in charge of the
arrangements.
Bruce
Marvin Hillestad was born on December 23, 1940 in
Fosston, the son of Marvin and Lillian (Haagenson)
Hillestad. He was baptized and confirmed at Hope
Lutheran Church of Fosston. He attended school in
Fosston, graduating from Fosston High School in
1959. He then attended Bemidji State College,
graduating in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in elementary education.
On
October 13, 1984, Bruce was united in marriage to
Patricia L. Adamski. The couple resided in Stephen
until moving to Thief River Falls in
1997.
Bruce
taught elementary math in Stephen Public School for
13 years. He was also a co-owner of Stephen Outdoor
Sports for three years and Valley Spuds, Inc. in
Stephen for 23 years. For the past five years,
Bruce had been employed as a volume division sales
representative by Digi-Key Corp. in Thief River
Falls.
He
was a member of the Lions Club, Eagles Aerie 873,
Flying Club, Minnesota Area 1 Potato Council and
Red River Valley Potato Grower Association. He also
served on the Stephen City Council and as an elder,
trustee and Sunday school teacher at First
Presbyterian Church.
Bruce
enjoyed spending time with family and friends,
reading, fishing, boating, camping, dancing with
his wife, flying, deer hunting, snowmobiling,
woodworking and going to hardware stores and lumber
yards to get materials for his projects.
Survivors
include his wife, Patty; two sons, Kevin Mehrkens
and Cory Mehrkens, both of Grand Forks; four
daughters, Kim (Joe) Kazmierczak of Stephen, Pamela
(Erik) Sather and Jana Hillestad, both of Fargo,
and Krista Mehrkens of St. Hilaire; 13
grandchildren; a brother, Steve (Marcia) Hillestad
of Wayzata; a sister, Karen (Joe) Merseth of
Frazee; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law;
and many nieces and nephews.
He
was preceded in death by his parents;
granddaughters, Hope and Angel Kazmierczak; a
sister-in-law; and several aunts and
uncles.
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