Joseph Mollet

Joseph “Joe” Leroy Mollet Jr. was born in Powers Lake, ND on January 18th, 1945. He died on September 4th, 2020 at the age of 75 at the Sanford Hospice Center in Fargo ND. Joe graduated from Powers Lake High School in 1964. He joined the Army and served his enlistment term and then joined the ND National Guard. When he returned from Basic Training, he met Susan Porter and they were married on December 3rd, 1966. They would soon begin their own family where they would eventually have four kids Shawn, Julie, Shayne, and Deanne. During his time in the service he learned basic mechanics and heavy equipment operating which he would eventually use to support the family through working on road construction. Building seemed to be in his blood and he soon went out on his own starting his own construction company. While working with his own company he helped others build homes, barns and even a gas plant near Watford City. Besides building, farm life was never far from his heart so in 1979 he moved his family back to Powers Lake to the family farm and began the next chapter in his life. He raised small grains, sunflowers, and Hereford cattle, doing this until all his children graduated. He then decided at the age of 46 to go to college and get a degree in diesel technology. After graduating he worked for Interstate Detroit Diesel and Wallwork Truck Center until retiring in 2005. Retirement brought him the opportunity to spend more time with family and enjoying getting to know his grandchildren and great grandchild. Retirement also gave him the luxury to spend his summers back on the family farm, now operated by his son Shayne, his wife Shannon, and their family. This gave him a chance to get back to his roots by helping his children with building projects and farming. He was also a very enthusiastic outdoorsman loving all forms of hunting and fishing. To the end his love of farming, was evident as he called Shayne multiple times a day to find out if he was harvesting, how the crop was, making sure he had properly checked the combine. His gears were always turning, thinking of this and that. He would even wake up suddenly with the need to call and make sure something had not been overlooked. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Susan Mollet, his four children Shawn (Tammy), West Fargo, Julie Hanenberg, Fargo, Shayne Mollet (Shannon), Powers Lake, and Deanne Whitney (Kevin), Ayr, ND, sisters, Elizabeth Bolen, Powers Lake, Audrey (Lieland) Grote, Battleview,ND. His seven grandchildren Darryk Hanenberg, Justin Hanenberg, Haley Mollet, Kaitlyn Mollet, Paige Mollet, Joseph Mollet, Olivia Mollet, and his great granddaughter Julia Hanenberg. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph Mollet Sr., Julia (Lapica) Mollet, his grandparents Joseph N. Mollet, Olivia (Hilt) Mollet, Joseph Lapica, Bessie (Cvancara) Lapica and all other friends and family before them. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Sanford Hospice House or your local Hospice program. Funeral will be held at 1 P.M. Saturday September 12th at the farm 9465 74th St. NW, Powers Lake, ND, signs will be posted. Refreshments following at Lake Side Park in Powers Lake. There will also be a Celebration of life held in Fargo on September 18th from 4-7 at 418 Santa Cruz Dr.