Jeffrey A. Ballestad
December 19, 1968 ~ April 25, 2021
Jeff passed away on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
Jeffrey A. Ballestad, of West Fargo, was born on December 19, 1968, the son of Robert and Cindy (Barney) Ballestad, in Fargo, ND. Jeff grew up in West Fargo where he attended grade school and graduated from West Fargo High School. He later attended North Dakota State University and graduated from Moorhead Tech. Jeff worked for Magellan Pipeline in West Fargo for nearly 30 years.
Jeff was married to Jody Brandt and two wonderful children were born to that union – Keaton and Kamry – “Dad, we love you to the moon, and we will miss you forever.”
Jeff is survived by his son, Keaton Ballestad; and his daughter, Kamry Ballestad – both of West Fargo, ND; his father, Bob Ballestad of West Fargo; his sister, Sue Ballestad; his niece, Taylor Sneen both of Hastings, MN; and his great-uncle, Melvin O. Anderson of West Fargo, ND.
Jeff was preceded in death by his mother, Cindy; his grandparents, Lawrence and Alice Moderow; and his great-aunt, Lillian Anderson.
CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE: 2 PM Friday, April 30, 2021 at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo with visitation one hour prior (livestreamed on the funeral home website)
BURIAL: at a later date at the Kindred Cemetery in Kindred, ND
Memorials in Jeff's name are preferred to FirstLink. Donations can be made by following this link: https://firstlinknd.ddock.gives/
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My thoughts and prayers go out to his kids that he loved so much and was so proud of. He always brought them to my work place and he would just beam looking at them. Rest In Peace Jeff🙏
Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end; it simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again. Rest in peace cousin Jeff, you will be missed now and forever. Love you!
Rest in peace my friend. Seeing you the last year a few times and talking brought me some hope for you. My door was always open. I hope you are truly at peace my friend.
No more pain, no more worries, just time spent with mom now! Rest in peace my friend RIP
Words will not wipe away your tears and hugs may not ease the pain but hold onto your memories because forever they will remain. You left us all with so many wonderful memories Jeff and we will never forget. The love you had for your family and your boys will always be with them. Bob, Sue, Keaton, Camry and Taylor I am so very sorry and my thoughts and prayers are with all of you. I will never forget the giggle that surrounded us when you were anywhere that brought giggles of their own, the pictures of all of you guys with smiles always, those are what will hold us all together now. RIP Jeff you will be missed so very much.
I’m going to miss our conversations along with the many laughs we shared. We are going to miss having you at the table buddy but you will forever be in our hearts. Love ya pal.
Thanks for all the laughs at work Jeff. You will be missed.
What an amazing soul. The love for this man is beyond words. His love for his kids, his Dad and his friends was immeasurable. What a difference you have made in the world. Sleep now my darling, your work here on earth is done.
My condolences to the family and friends, he’s crossed the Bay, the ocean lies before him.
Until we meet again Jeff a lot of memories remembered to talk about. One of Marty’s best friends and will never forget them. Peace be with you Bob,Sue, Kenton,And Camry May God bless you and our prayers are with you all. RIP Jeff no more sorrows to bear. In Gods name Amen
Sending our thoughts and prayers to Bob and all the family and friends.
God’s Peace to you my dear friend and brother. I’m not sure if I’ve known anyone with a giving, caring heart bigger than yours. We were able to spend 10 years hanging out as friends of Bill W. It was just shy of your 8 year treats b’day. You told me you were tired, today I understand completely. God just aquired one hell of a good man. No more pain, only Peace and God’s love. See you on the other side Jeff.
Oh Jeffy how I am going to miss ur sweet face so very much… until we meet again. Thinking of you all during this difficult time. ❤
I will remember the good times, especially when we went cat fishing. You will be missed , praying for your family
My thoughts and prayers go out to Jeff’s family. A special person you were Jeff to so many people. I know you will be welcomed to heaven with open arms by your mom and grandpa – I know how they both cherished you deeply. May your two wonderful kids know you are at peace.🙏🏼♥️🙏🏼
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
You were one of a kind “Salts” and will be missed more than you ever could have known. So many great memories that will keep you with us always. We will continue to pray for your kids and family to heal as time goes on. I loved you like a little brother (Dawndi). Wishing you peace with the Lord!
Rip Jeff, you were a great person that will be greatly missed by many. Prayers for the family during these times.
Jeff – you always have been and always will be a great friend. You will sorely be missed.
RIP my friend…you’ll be greatly missed by many.
RIP my friend, you’ll be greatly missed by many ❤️
God Speed! Thinking of Jeff’s family & friends.🙏
Rest in peace my friend! You will truly be missed by many. I will never forget all the laughs we had. Until we meet again.
It was always comforting knowing you were my neighbor. I will miss you my friend. Rest easy. May God bless those who loved Jeff!
We walked the same path, yours took you away to another road….. I will miss you dear Jeff. See you on the other side 🙂 Make some coffee, we’ll have a lot to catch up on
~Deanna Klein
To Jeff’s family,
I enjoyed our many conversations and visits over the fence and will deeply miss him. He was always ready to help or bring a smile to my face. May the Lord comfort you as he promises, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV84)
Thoughts and prayers to your family… You will be missed more then you know. All of the wonderful memories of your friendship will last forever! RIP Jeff.. Love & hugs! Jodi & Scott Miller
I had the pleasure of working with Jeff on a project for Magellan in Fargo. What an incredible loss. My thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends.
Jeff… I feel fortunate to have known you for a very long time. Trips back to Fargo will never be the same without spending time visiting with you. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Rest in peace, my good friend.
Nothing but positive memories! You are a good man my friend. We will miss your smile and laughter. RIP Jeffrey Ballestad.
Thoughts and prayers to your family, Bob,Sue,Keaton and Kamry! I didn’t know you very long but while I did it was a pleasure.. You will be dearly missed by many family and friends, and will cherish the memories. Rest in peace Jeff
My thoughts and prayers are with Jeff’s family. May you rest in peace, Jeff, and shine your bright smile up in the heavens.
An awesome friend and fellow worker of mine for almost 30 years. I miss you and have loved you for many years. I will miss all your goofiness and desire to laugh and joke around with at work. You will be missed by many people. I hope there is some dirty jobs up in Heaven so you can be Happy at getting your Hands dirty. No Office work I hope!
Love you man! May God bless you, Bob, Sue,Keaton,And Kamry. Love you all!
Jeff was a great guy with a big heart. The darkness was too great to overcome and he grew weary. God bless you my fellow traveler. A prayer for all those suffering from his loss that they can accept Jeff has a new address and is at peace.
Jeff, I’m grateful for getting to know you a little in the 8 years I’ve been hauling petroleum fuels. Whenever my insatiable curiosity got the better of me you always took the time to explain what you were doing or how something worked at the terminal. When you were on call and something went wrong you made the job less stressful for me with your positive attitude. You were generous with your time and your talent. My heart goes out to your family and friends.
-Matt Murphy
We will all miss you so much. You were such a fun, pleasure to be around. May your sweet soul Rest In Peace.♥️
Jeff’s family,
I had the pleasure to know and teach Jeff at WFHS. He was always kind to me. May you find comfort in the prayers and thoughts being sent to you at this difficult time. RIP Jeff.
Our deepest sympathy to all of Jeff’s family. As a neighbor, we always enjoyed visiting with Jeff. He will be missed.
You will be missed, Jeff. I’m sorry you had tough days. Every time I was with you, you made me laugh. My heart breaks for your dad, Keaton, Kamry, and the extended family.
I’m happy to have had fond memories but will certainly miss you on this Earth.
I’ve struggled for words since I heard of your passing. Since meeting Jeff around 9 years ago I don’t think we went longer then a week without talking. Doing the math in my head, I’d say we met for dinner/breakfast/lunch/coffee or just for the hell of it, over 1000 times. We would laugh like 10 year olds telling fart jokes sharing our success and cry like babies when talking about our short comings, sometimes all at the same time. We came to the agreement it was ok to go home and change your shorts if an accident happened. We also agreed it was not ok to not tell everyone about it. (We learned humility and that it was ok to laugh at ourselves) We learned that it was always better for me to ask for the special instructions for your food and you order my give me what ever you have. For some reason your order would always get screwed up. Then it wasn’t a big deal if the order was screwed up because I eat anything. (We learned cooperation) Over this short 9 years I met your kids, your dad, your sister, your friends and you mine! I loved the stories of your youth, and honestly I could tell enough stories about you when you were younger that people would think I’ve known you all your life. The hole in my life that is now left is huge. I can’t thank you enough for the kindness, laughs, generosity and time you shared with me. I will miss you my friend and say for the last time. Thanks and I love ya man!
The kindest soul with the biggest heart. I will always remember that smile of yours, so contagious it would light up a whole room.
Until we meet again buddy,
I love you, Rest In Peace.
I met Jeff through a crazy bunch of guys when we were seldom doing anything safe or advisable. It was clear he was one of the most gregarious and genuinely engaging of the bunch, and truly interested in everybody’s well being and our stories. They all knew him better for sure, but he always offered a hand and a good chat. My wife Marvita probably said it best – “I met him just a few times, and he was just so kind to me.” Truly, truly a great guy. Godspeed, sir, and condolences to the family.
Jeff, I can’t put into words what my heart if feeling. Coming in late was always the best time for me and to give you a bad time. Our time together will always be treasured in my heart.You are going to be missed by so many and me. Love ya Buddy. RIP
Jeff came into my life around 7 years ago, and changed my life forever. I moved to Bismarck around 5 years ago to be more in the middle of my daughter’s lives. He offered me his home when I came back to Fargo to spend time with my youngest daughter. We have so many amazing memories in that home. Kamry was so beautiful to my daughter, and her kindness and Jeff’s generosity have forever changed my relationship with her. I am eternally grateful to you buddy!
We shared a lot about our struggles and successes, as Jeff and I had much in common. I admired Jeff for the search he was always engaged in. Whether it was a men’s Bible study or trying a new church. I will always remember the example he set in trying to help others. I will miss the fun and silliness that we shared together. I never thought I would be stone-cold sober, parked in a ditch next to a cornfield, in the middle of nowhere in North Dakota at 3 in the morning, but that was part of what Jeff brought to my life. I will miss the beautiful times we had out at Lake Lizzie with Bob, Keaton, Kamry and their friends. I will miss countless other things, but most of all I will just miss you, my great friend.
Worked with Jeff over the phone at Magellan for years… I was always happy to hear his voice when I called. He was kind, profession, and always made me smile. He will be missed. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Time is precious and we never know how much we have. The most difficult part of this is friends and family are going to ask ourselves what could we do; why didn’t he reach out; and it seemed he was doing so good; those are the questions I have been asking myself. Jeff was a true friend and a kind and caring person. I wish there were words to easy the pain to his kids, Jodi, sister, and his father. The only thing I know is he will be in heaven waiting for us; so this isn’t goodbye for ever, just for now. My deepest sympathies.
Jeff was an important part of our Lake Lizzie Family. He was such a delight with his ready smile and humor.
He was always involved with a project or two and found ways to make it fun and share a story.
We will fondly miss him and pray that he is at peace and that we will meet again someday.
Our hearts go out to Bob, Sue, Kamry and Keaton and extended family. He was rich with friends who loved him.
May the Good Lord Bless and Keep all of his family and friends and may you rest in perfect peace Jeff.
Spent a lot of time together at the pipe. Some good, some we may have had words. Still you were one of the best there. God’s peace and love my friend!
Keaton, Kamry and Bob,
We are going to miss hearing the “yell darns” and the “yea buddy’s”. Jeff was a great friend, wonderful neighbor, project driven man with a phenomenal sense of humor. We did a lot together and we will treasure all those memories. He was an honest, ethical, sincere hard working man with a big heart. He could sense if you needed help and would be there before you could ask. We will all miss him greatly!
My prayers are with all of you.
Dave and I were so sorry to hear about Jeff’s passing. He was always so kind to me every time I saw him. We hadn’t seen each other in years and ran into each other again at the ball diamonds where both of our sons played baseball and we talked like we had just seen each other the previous week. He was such a wonderful man and will be missed by many.
I always would look for you and hope to see you and get a big hug at The Lighthouse or a meeting. I know you were suffering, if I could have taken away any of your pain, I would have. I know you are at peace now, the darkness is shattered. We will all be together in the Sonlight. I can’t wait to see you on the other side. You are loved and missed.
May peace and understanding come to you and your family now and forever. Prayers to the living and the dead!🙏
My deepest condolences to the Ballestad family. I knew Jeff best when he was a sweet and gentle child. I was a frequent babysitter to both Sue and Jeff when they were children. They are really part of our family too. May he rest in peace. Sending much love.
Thoughts & prayers to the Ballestad family. You will be missed by many …rip Jeff
You were a bright light in everyone you touched. You were so loved. Rest Easy. ❤️
Rest easy Jeff. Your face sporting a cheerful smlie is how I’ll always remember you. You’ll be missed by many. 💗
So sorry for Jeff’s passing RIP
So very sorry to hear about Jeff’s passing! I got to know Jeff when Keaton was in Elem school. I helped to put together a Hershey relay team and Jeff was instrumental in getting the four boys to the track meet which was not an easy task! At Keaton state bball games we reminisced about those fun days and how one of the relay boys ran in dress shoes and dress pants and did so well! Jeff was a nice man and I am saddened for the family!
Nothing but great memories of you Jeff. I’ve been away for 25 years now not knowing of your struggles until it was too late. My thoughts of you continue and will always be with Keaton and Kamry. I hope you now have eternal peace.
Joel Milton aka Buck
Dear Bob, We are SO SORRY that we did not know about the passing or your precious son Jeff. Love you!!
so sad to learn about Jeff. I knew him from when he started work in Fargo. he was a fun person to be around. he will be missed!!
I was so sorry to hear of Jeff’s passing. I will forever remember all the fun times and memories we shared as friends. Jeff was so thoughtful and caring. His smile and laughter were contagious. Even though I moved away right out of college, Jeff was one of the friends that would make time to go out with a group of us when I was home over the holidays. He was definitely one of the good ones. My thoughts and prayers are with all of his family during this difficult time.