John Edward Brunsdale

John E. Brunsdale, 91, passed away peacefully at Eventide Fargo on March 27, 2023, under the care of Ethos.

John Edward Brunsdale was born in Fargo, ND, April 22nd, 1931, to Karl H. Brunsdale and Mary Swanston Brunsdale. He married Mitzi Louisa Mallarian on December 2nd, 1961. They had three daughters, Margaret Louisa and identical twins Jean Ellen and Maureen Lois. John received his B.S. in Agriculture from North Dakota State University in 1955 and pursued graduate studies at the University of Minnesota in 1956-57 and Colorado State University in 1958. He farmed in Traill, Steele, and Cass Counties of North Dakota from 1950-2002. He was a postal facility contractor for the U.S. Postal Service in various states from 1969-1993. From 1972-75 he was the president of the Red River Valley Cooperative, the first cooperative sugar beet factory in North America, at Hillsboro, ND. He served on the board of directors and as chairman of the board of the First and Farmers Bank, Portland, ND. He was the precinct committeeman of the 20th District Republican Party, Traill County, from 1966-68. He served on the board of directors of the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Fargo, ND, 1974-79 and was a member of the Mayville-Portland ND school board from 1980-83. He proudly served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force (North Dakota Air National Guard) from 1950-53. He received the Excellence in Life Award from the Red River Historical Society in 1975; and the North Dakota Science and Industry Award from the Greater North Dakota Bankers Association; the Mayville-Portland Jaycees (vice-president 1963-66); as a member of the board of directors of the Red River Valley Sugar Marketing Association, 1969-71 and vice-president 1973-75. He was a life member of the Elks, a past Master of Goose River Lodge No. 18, A.F. & A.M. and a Past Potentate of Kem Temple of the Shrine. He served on the finance committee of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota from 1985-89. He was named to Who’s Who in the Midwest, 1980.

He is survived by his wife Mitzi; daughters Margaret (Norbert) Bromenshenkel, Horace, ND; Jean MacDonald and Maureen Brunsdale, Normal, IL; and 2 grandchildren.

Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Friday, March 31st, with a funeral service at 10 a.m. at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo. Memorials may be sent to the Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Arrangement entrusted to Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center, Fargo, ND. To sign the online guest book go to www.boulgerfuneralhome.com.