Ed Stern

Edward R Stern , 94, of Fargo ND died suddenly but peacefully Saturday April 18 . He was born to Adeline and Herman Stern of Valley City ND. He graduated from Valley City High School, and attended UND, Valley City State Teachers College, and graduated with honors from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1936. He returned to Valley City to join his father in the Straus Clothing store and to court his high school sweetheart, Louise McCutcheon, whom he married in 1942. He served in the Army Air Corps in England, where he rose to the rank of Major with the 385th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. After the war, he returned to Fargo where he operated the Straus Clothing store and he raised with Louise their family of five children. He was extremely active in civic affairs, as a member of countless boards locally, regionally, and nationally, including the Fargo Chamber of Commerce, the Fargo School Board, the FM Symphony, Blue Cross of ND, United Way, YMCA, Northwest Buyers, KFME, KCCM, Menswear Retailers of America, Rotary, Boy Scouts of America. He received the ND Governor?s Award for the Arts and the Fargo Chamber of Commerce Legacy Award. He loved music, gardening, golf, bridge, and dogs. After he retired, he was active in his WWII bomb group association, where he was the editor of the newsletter. After Louise died in 1968, Ed married Jane Lontz Jardine, and enjoyed another 35 years of marriage. Jane and Ed moved to the Waterford retirement community in 1999 and enjoyed their retirement years with many friends there. He served lovingly and steadfastly as an ageless role model and mentor. He demonstrated by his life all the best of the Boy Scout Law. He modeled for all a sense of community concern beyond self. He held fast to his beliefs and values with his words and deeds. He accomplished all this while being the ultimate husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, maintaining an amazing sense of calm, balance, and humor. He was preceded in death by his wives Louise and Jane. He is survived by his older brother Richard(Seattle), and children Decky Thornton, Susan Fineman(Tom),John Stern(Sherri), Rick Stern(Nancy), Jim Stern(Barbara), and step-children Cliff Jardine, Donna DeMars(David), Charlotte Tallakson, and Nancy Jardine. His families include 18 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Services will be held on Wednesday April 22 at 2PM at Temple Beth El in Fargo. There will be a visitation on Tuesday April 21, from 5-7PM in Boulger Funeral Home followed by a Memorial Sharing Service from 7-8 in the funeral home. Memorials are preferred to the FM Symphony Orchestra.