6-27-20 Obituaries
Peter L. “Pete”
Hoffart
May 15, 1925 – June 17, 2020
Peter L. “Pete” Hoffart,
95 of Rugby, North Dakota
died on Wednesday, June
17, 2020 at the Haaland
Estates Assisted Living
Center in Rugby. He was
born on May 15, 1925 in
Pierce County, North
Dakota in the home of his
parents Louis and Mag-
dalena (Marquart) Hof-
fart. He grew up on his
family farm near the Ful-
da Church and attended
the German School #2.
On October 11th, 1949,
he married the love of his
life, Katherine “Katie” Fet-
tig of Orrin at the Sacred
Heart Catholic Church.
Together they moved to
their first farm “around
the curves” just south of
St. Anselm’s Catholic
Church. They lived
there until 1960, when
they purchased and
moved to their permanent
farm. Together they
farmed, raised cattle, and
milked cows until 2006
when they retired from
farming. They remained
on the family farm until
2012, when Katie became
ill. At that time, they
moved to Harvey for a
brief period. Katie died
January 1, 2013. Pete re-
turned to Rugby in April
2013 and made his home
at the Haaland Estates As-
sisted Living Center.
Pete was an extremely
patient man. He enjoyed
the simple things in life;
was always quick to
laugh, extremely fond of
listening to old time polka
music and loved his
Westerns. He truly wit-
nessed the evolution of
farming. He went from
plowing with horses, to
tractors that are
self-guided. He also wit-
nessed the evolution of
common household appli-
ances. In his youth, he de-
cided to surprise his
parents with fresh bread
when they got home from
shopping in Rugby. He
was doing great until he
confused shortening with
baking soda. The bread
almost exploded in the
old wood-fired oven. He
went from wood-fired
ovens, to bottle-gas and
eventually a microwave.
When he was a child,
there were no such things
as refrigerators, washers
and dryers, dishwashers,
or televisions.
He was the true epi-
tome of a man who never
met a stranger. During
his time at the Haaland
Estates, he enjoyed the
company of fellow
residents and loved play-
ing a good game of pi-
nochle. He never com-
plained and was always
eager to participate in ac-
tivities, whether it was a
day of fishing or a drive in
the country or maybe a
stop for lunch and a bev-
erage in Balta.
He was a lifelong
member of St. Anselm’s
Catholic Church until it
closed in 2005. As a
child, he walked many
miles to the church to at-
tend summer school each
June. Pete was also one
of the young men on the
cement crew that helped
to build the new church,
after the fire nearly des-
troyed the old one. He
could still recall the
humidity and the heat of
nearly 100 degrees, but
how everyone worked to-
gether until it was com-
pleted. Pete was a
current member of Little
Flower Catholic Church,
Rugby. He was also a
long-time member of the
Knights of Columbus and
in recent years he joined
the Eagles.
Pete is survived by his
children, Richard (Faye),
Rugby, Albert (Betty), Far-
go, Art (Addie), Bozeman,
MT and Kathy (Mark)
Wood, Richmond, TX; 13
grandchildren; 18
great-grandchildren, and 1
great-great grandchild; a
brother, Morris (Vera)
Hoffart, Marcette, CA; 5
sisters, Agnes Voeller,
Vancouver , Kay (John)
Daughterly and Ann
(Dennis) Niess, all of
Green Bay, WI; Eva (Phil-
lip) Martin, Garfield, MN
and Shelli Larsen, Willow
City; a brother-in-law,
Leo Keeling, Walhalla;
sisters-in-law, Ceceila
Ziegler, Harvey and Rose
Fettig, Minot; numerous
nieces, nephews, other re-
latives and many friends.
Pete was preceded in
death by his wife of 63
years, Katherine; two sis-
ters, Mary Sattler, and
Margie Keeling; two
brothers, Joe and Dennis
Hoffart; brothers-in-law,
John Fettig, Conrad
Ziegler, and George Voell-
er; and his parents.
Mass of Christian Buri-
al was held at 11 a.m.
Tuesday, June 23rd at the
Little Flower Catholic
Church in Rugby with
burial in the church
cemetery.
Visitation was held
from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday
with a rosary and vigil
service starting at 7 p.m.
and continued Tuesday
from 9 a.m. until 10:30
a.m., all in the Anderson
Funeral Home, Rugby.
There was no reviewal in
the church on Tuesday.
Organist: Terri Jacobson
Vocalist/Cantor: Jacinta
Schmaltz
Casket Bearers: Richard,
Shane, Cody, Travis, Art
and Alan Hoffart.
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry:
James Edward
Jansky
June 1, 1949 – June 16, 2020
James Edward Jansky,
71, Towner, died Tues-
day, June 16, 2020 at the
Heart of America Medical
Center in Rugby, North
Dakota. James was born
on June 1, 1949 to Frank
V. and Ellen (Cvancara)
Jansky in Stanley, North
Dakota.
James was raised in
Ross, North Dakota and
graduated from Stanley
High School. He enlisted
in the U.S. Navy on the
29th of June of 1967 and
served on the USS
Nereus, was stationed in
Taiwan and Guam. After
his service in the Navy
and was honorably
discharged, he joined the
United States Army Na-
tional Guard, where he
toured Honduras and Bel-
ize. While working in
Towner, he met the love
of his life, Sharon Rice.
They were united in mar-
riage on November 8,
1974 at Hope Lutheran
Church in Upham. He
made a 38 year career in
the National Guard, retir-
ing as a Master Sergeant
in 2010. Other jobs he
held throughout the years
were for the North Dakota
Game and Fish Depart-
ment in administration,
Gault Trucking as a labor-
er, North Dakota Forest
Service in Towner as an
assistant manager and a
CNA at the Heart of
America Medical Center,
Rugby. He was a member
of the Clarence Larson
American Legion Post
#23, Rugby and the Faith
Lutheran Church in
Towner.
James was an avid
hunter and fisherman, en-
joying the outdoors and
was an animal lover, tak-
ing in dogs or other an-
imals, giving them a
better, more loving life.
He was a kind compas-
sionate man, good hearted
and selfless, always
donated his time and also
an all around jokester.
James was a loving hus-
band, father and friend,
that will be dearly missed.
James is survived by
his wife, Sharon; sons,
Scott (Lindsay Gessner) of
Towner and David of
Southern Pines, North
Carolina; adopted
daughter, Daphne Villa-
toro; brother, Ron Jansky
of Ross; sister, Denise Jan-
sky of Ross; an aunt, Dar-
lene Cvancara of Stanley;
brothers-in-law, David
Rice and Gary Rice, both
of Towner; nieces,
nephews, other relatives
and a host of friends. He
was preceded in death by
a sister, Anita Hix;
in-laws, Delores Jones,
Donald and Eugene Rice;
and his parents.
Funeral services were
held at 11:00 a.m. Mon-
day, June 22 at the Zion
Lutheran Church in
Towner with burial in the
Union Cemetery, Towner.
Rev. Daryl Rothchild, of-
ficiating.
Casket Bearers: Robert
Senger National Guard,
Orville Wang National
Guard, Jerome Heth Na-
tional Guard/U.S. Marine,
Alicia Swanke National
Guard, Ed Bennett Na-
tional Guard, Darrell Rice
Nephew, Gerard
Deibert
Friend/Neighbor and
Todd Fairbrother Navy
Music by: Melanie and
Cheznie Best
Military Honors ac-
corded by: Clarence Lar-
son American Legion Post
#23 Honor and Color
Guard and North Dakota
Military Funeral Honors &
Navy
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Towner.
Online registry:
www.funeralsbyanderson.
com
Theresa B.
Halvorson
Mar. 24, 1925 – June 21, 2020
BISMARCK – Theresa B.
Halvorson (95), Bismarck,
formerly of Rugby, died at
St. Alexius Hospital,
Bismarck, on Sunday,
June 21, 2020. Theresa
Bischoff was born March
24, 1925 at the Good
Samaritan Hospital, Rug-
by, North Dakota, the
youngest child of Nicho-
las Bischoff and Elizabeth
Schwan. She was raised
on the family farm south
of Berwick, rural Fulda,
North Dakota area. She
attended and graduated
from Berwick consolidat-
ed school. She moved
with her folks to Rugby in
1940. During the war she
was a clerk at Senger’s
Variety Store.
Theresa married Alvin
Melford Halvorson, of rur-
al Rugby, on January 21,
1946. Theresa and Mel-
ford lived in Fargo briefly
before returning to Rugby
in 1947. The couple be-
gan farming in Pleasant
Lake Township, Benson
County, rural Knox, in
1950. They lived there
until moving to Rugby in
1980.
In addition to raising
her family, Theresa was
active in the American Le-
gion Auxiliary, Catholic
Order of Foresters, 4-H,
and a local home-makers
group. Theresa worked
for Good Samaritan Hos-
pital Association at the
Haaland Home and hos-
pital from 1975 until
2007.
She is survived by
daughters: Janice K. (John
K.) Hoiland, Minot; Judith
A. (R. George) Railsback,
Bismarck and Karla M.
(Douglas L. Johanson),
Bismarck;
daughter-in-law: Debra F.
Kunkel, Minot; and son:
Mark J. Halvorson,
Bismarck. Grandsons: Ni-
cholas Railsback, Bur-
lington, VT; Jacob Rails-
back, Bismarck; and
Christopher Johanson,
Fargo. Grand-daughters:
Brenda Halvorson, Han-
ford, CA; Joanne (Jon)
Carillo, Templeton, CA;
Sarah (Logan J.) Reindel,
Bismarck; Katherine
Johanson (Kevin Moore),
Colorado Springs, CO;
Mary Johanson, Bismarck;
Rachel Johanson,
Bismarck.
Great-grandsons: Ian J.
Aurora, Hanford, CA;
Brettley J. Reindel and
Henry G. Reindel,
Bismarck.
Great-grand-daughters:
Emma E. Reindel,
Bismarck; Jaylynn Carillo,
Templeton, CA; and Jana
Carillo, Templeton, CA.
Theresa was preceded
in death by her husband;
two sons, Byron A. and
Duane F.; brothers, Peter,
Jacob, and Vincent Bisch-
off; sisters, Magdalena
(Martin) Kuntz, Helena
(Peter) Volk, Paulina
(Jacob Klause) and Kather-
ina (Ignatz) Voeller; and
her parents.
Mass of Christian Buri-
al will be at 11:00 a.m. Sa-
turday, June 27th at the
Little Flower Catholic
Church in Rugby with
burial in the church
cemetery. Father Antho-
ny Cruz, Celebrant
Visitation will be from
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday
and from 9 a.m. until
10:30 a.m. Saturday, all in
the Anderson Funeral
Home, Rugby. There will
be no reviewal in the
church on Saturday.
The Honorary Bearers,
Godsons: Richard Voeller
and Nicholas Volk
The Casket Bearers:
Jacob Railsback, Christo-
pher Johanson, Logan
Reindel and Mark J. Hal-
vorson
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry:
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