Arthur Zurcher

Arthur Glen Zurcher, 89, Rugby, died on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, at Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby.

He was born on February 1, 1924 in Pratt Township McHenry County Upham, North Dakota to John and Ida Bertha Rindlisbacher Zurcher.

He attended school in Pratt Township, Newburg and Towner, and graduated from High School in Russell in 1941. He was baptized and confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Upham. He started farming as a young man and worked on his family’s dairy and stock farm. He married Muriel Nina Brandt in Willow City on November 5, 1949. In the early 1960’s he started buying cattle and running a feed lot in the Rugby area, which he operated for many years. He devoted his life to farming, selling cattle, and making his customers happy. He also farmed a large amount of land over the years in McHenry, Renville, Bottineau, and Pierce counties.

He was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Rugby where he served as an elder and treasurer, as a faithful and devoted Christian.

He was a member of the North Dakota Stockman’s Association and was one of the organizers of the Ranchers Scale Association at Towner, had served on the Leverich Elevator Board for many years, and was a Pierce County Commissioner for 13 years.

He and his wife, Muriel, loved to plant trees wherever they lived. He will be remembered by his warm manner, sense of humor, and his passion to play cards and win!

He is survived by his daughter, Jeri and her husband Martin Borrego San Jose, California. He also leaves 2 sisters, Margaret Rothchild – Rugby and Leona Bethke Grand Forks. He is also survived by his 4 grandchildren Crystle, Sandy, Dillon, and Carissa. He also leaves many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Muriel on June 19, 2003, brothers, Elmer, John H. and Paul, and sisters Ida Meyer, Anna Randle, and Esther Luscher. Funeral services will be held at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Rugby on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 11:00 A.M.

Visitation will be at the Niewoehner Funeral Home in Rugby on Friday from 3-9 PM, with a family gathering at 7 p.m.

Rev. Phillip Hannemann will officiate, Rev. Daryl Rothchild will be the reader, Dianne Montonye will be the organist and Kevin Lashman will be a soloist.

Pallbearers will be Dillon Borrego, Bryan, Chad, Kris, Mark, and Scott Thiel.

Honorary pallbearers will be Gary and Glen Bethke, Daryl, Dean and David Rothchild, Earl, J. Wesley, Rodger Zurcher and Rudie Luscher.

Burial will be at the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Minot at 3:00 p.m.

The Zurcher family expresses their most heartfelt gratitude to all the nurses and staff at Heart of America Medical Center for their tremendous loving care while Art lived there. A special thank you to Becky, Amy, Paula, Corrina, Deb “Blondie”, and Pastor Brenda Burns for their endless, loving dedication to Art at his difficult time. In addition, thank you to Wayne and Ruth Thiel for the countless hours of care.

Memorial contributions are welcome to the Heart of America Hospice in Rugby.