Steven Wayne Trangsrud

I had the pleasure of getting to know Steve while he was a substitute teacher at West Fargo High School the last few years. We both enjoy the outdoors, hiking in particular and had many conversations about great places we visited. I will certainly miss seeing Steve at WFHS. May peace be with you.

Thoughts and prayers to Steve’s family during this truly difficult time. Steve subbed for my Biology class many times over the years at WFHS. I greatly appreciated his dependability, the respectful classroom atmosphere he created with the students, and his love for science. Steve will be greatly missed by students and teachers alike.

Steven had such a calm presence, something that my students and I appreciated. He was a gentleman and a gentle soul. He subbed for my classes many times including an extended time when I had CoVid last year. It was so reassuring knowing my students were in good hands. He will be greatly missed at West Fargo High School. He had the gift of conversation and lit up many a lunch hours with his stories and interest in languages and cultures. God speed Steven.

May wonderful memories help ease the pain of losing a loved one. Thoughts and prayers are with you all

Mary Shaw

Henry, Joyce and Rikka—We’re so sorry to hear about Steve. He was a great friend throughout our high school years. Lots of fun memories of band practices and hanging out at your house. I hope all of you are doing well. Keith and Lisa Leatherbury

Hank, Joyce and Family, So saddened and heart-broken to hear of Steve’s death. So happy to have reconnected at our 40th class reunion. He was so talented, intelligent, and an all around awesome guy. Hoping all the good memories you had with Steve will bring you peace at this difficult time. Jodi (Johnson) Norman

I wanted to extend my deepest condolences to Steven’s family during this challenging time. Steven subbed in my English classroom many times over the years at WFHS. It was always reassuring when he subbed because I knew my students were in great hands. He always maintained a calm, structured, and respectful atmosphere for students. As an avid reader, he was frequently curious about what students were reading and would ask to read these books on his own time. May all the wonderful memories of Steven provide you comfort during this time.

What a lovely memorial and great tribute! Steve was the oldest male cousin in our family and was very much loved by all of his cousins. He was a godson to our mother Audrey, who was crazy about him, and they always had a very loving and playful relationship. Steve was often the first to notice trends and to turn us on to things that eventually became very important to us. Like conservation, which he got from his grandfather, Ole. And music, which is a passion he shared with his sisters, Kristen and Rikka and brother John. And his love of mashed potatoes and lefse, which he got from his grandmother, Beatrice.And his geneology work, which we all have benefited from. Steve was always very playful and liked to joke around, but never at anyone else’s expense. His humor was first and foremost, kind. And so was he. Always. Without exception.

Our family in particular was very lucky in that while Steve was in California we often got to spend holidays with him. One of our favorite things every year was to get Steve’s Christmas card. They were always playful and memorable. We looked forward to it. And for those couple of years that he did not send them out, we were crushed. Something was missing in our holiday season!

Steve got his great intellect and kindness from his parents. Steve was crazy about his family and we noticed that during these last 5-6 years, Steve seemed more content and happy than ever before. We think it was because he got to see his family more often. He had a great garden at the cabin in Detroit Lakes, and we could tell he loved tending it. And two summers ago, we saw again first hand what a great uncle he was – Lian was crazy about him. And he was crazy about her, as well as all of his nieces and nephews.

So, Steve, thank you for wonderful times together and the love you showed for your family. And for putting up with your three older female cousins, and your annoying younger cousins. You always made us feel welcome and loved. But more importantly, you always let us play and be playful with you. We will miss you very much.

Andrew, Bev, Nick and Dave

So sorry to hear of Steve’s passing. It was so great to chat with him at our 40th class reunion in 2017. And, I’m proud to have been a member of the BLT band, with Steve as our leader, in high school. Many fond memories.
My condolences to the Trangsrud family.

I am so sorry and saddened to hear of this loss. Steve was a part of our Los Angeles friends group from the time we came to LA in 1993 until when he returned to North Dakota a few years ago. I have SO many memories of parties and projects and trips! One that stands out is a drive to Baja California probably in the late 90s in the little gray Toyota truck I later sold to him and that he drove for many years. Or the time he came with us to Sespe Hot Springs on that grueling downhill hike when Tanya was 7-months pregnant and he brought a case of beer in his backpack, or the song he wrote for the Silver Lake art group we had…so many memories. I have the inner tubes in my garage! There is so much more to say, but wanted the family to begin to hear from the LA crowd. He will be very, very much missed!!

Am really sorry to hear about Steve. For decades he was an integral part of what I remember best about living in LA. Always friendly and funny with a great deadpan sense of humor. Sometimes it took a moment to realize he was making a joke, which is my favorite kind of joke. I have many memories of him sitting around all sorts of camp fires, often with a stringed instrument in hand and sometimes singing. I doubt there is anyone who has anything bad to say about him, he was beloved by all.

My deepest condolences for Steve’s family and friends- I met Steve in LA and we shared many great moments talking about science nature and all the simple beauties of living…I think we shared a teacher’s heart and connected through our desire to serve young people in an authentic, enthusiastic way. Steve was a terrific human and I’m grateful to have known him ♥️🙏🏾✌🏾🦋

This is sad news. I’ve known Steve for over 30 years and he always amazed me with his intelligence and talent.

I will miss him.

My thoughts and prayers to the family. Steven subbed in my English classroom many times over the years, and he was my go to choice of subs. He was kind, efficient, and a student favorite. He will be truly missed. Also, my husband knew him from Kindred High School.

I am grateful to have known Steve. He made a positive impact on my life. The tubing trips that he organized on the Kern River were some of the most blissful times in my memory. Floating down the river in tubes inflated
by Steve, surrounded by nature and L.A. art & music scenesters, instantly became my favorite summertime activity in the early 2000’s. I loved the campfire sing alongs – I always requested that he play the Lime in the Coconut.
In 2003, Steve participated in a community art show inspired by my pet goat, Clark. Steve’s portrait of Clark was brilliant, in my humble opinion. He painted it from a candid snapshot of Clark, taken at a party. Clark had propped himself up with his front legs, onto a table topped with scattered beer bottles. Steve painted the photo as it was in reality, only using darker hues and subtly added a cigarette between the split of Clark’s right cloven hoof, making it look as if he was sitting at a bar having a beer. He titled it “Another cold one Mr. Clark?” I bought the piece from Steve, it is one of my personal favorite works of art. Steve made the world a better, more fun place. I am glad to have known him. Sending heartfelt condolences to all of his family and friends.

I was so saddened to hear the news about Steve. He was such an important part of our lives here in Los Angeles. He was not just a great friend, but he was a leader in our group who never minded taking on the extra work of wrangling people together or making something fun happen. He organized epic tubing trips down the river, threw great parties, loved to go camping in the mountains, was an amazing musician (he could play by ear!), artist, etc. He was part of everything fun here in Los Angeles for so many years and was very missed when he left. (Of course when he moved back to Fargo, we had a huge sendoff and a cake with mini-chocolate donuts meandering down a river of frosting, to represent his tubing legacy. He loved it). Steve stayed with me (and others) during his summer visits to LA, which was great and a wonderful chance to catch up with him (I was happy to know he was doing well and enjoying teaching and being close to his family again. Steve was funny and kind and patient. He truly was loved here and will be missed all over again by his many, many friends.

I met Steve in the late 90s. One of my first memories of him was being at a holiday party in Echo Park at my future wife’s (Mona Cedar’s) house. We were all making merry, and Steve mad the mistake of falling asleep in a chair. We decorated him as festively as possible – he was lovely! I’m sure there are photos somewhere….
Of course, Steve was legendary as the ÜberTuber. It was on my very first tubing trip that I had an epiphany about marrying Mona, and it was one of the greatest moments of clarity in my life. Part of me was always grateful to Steve for that. Steve had a way of making those trips run smoothly while being calm and saying little, and it was really one of the Zen aspects of those experiences. Those trips are some of the fondest experiences and memories of my life. I learned a lot about life watching Steve handle himself – with his kindness, patience, calmness. It has always stayed with me and made me better.
I’m honored to have Steve as a house guest on one of his most recent trips back to Los Angeles. I was quite sad that he had to leave us for North Dakota, and of course, even sadder that he had to leave us for the next realm. What a fine human he was.

Steve and I shared many adventures hiking, camping, inner-tubing, and barbequing in and around Los Angeles. He was always a kind and patient person with a great sense of humor. I am so sad to hear of his passing, but so happy to reflect on the time we spent together.

I especially think of Steve around holiday time. Especially the ever-humorous Christmas cards he’d send via snail mail, picturing him garbed in a Santa suit or another equally smile-inducing image with chosen with just a tad of irony. At holiday gatherings he would often bring lutefisk, proudly asserting his Norwegian heritage (and how!). Partygoers would view the tray of fisk squares on the table with a mix of curiosity and confusion at the unfamiliar snack. It became a tradition over time that grew on me, much like Steve himself!

Given his clear motivation to respect and uphold traditions in unexpected ways, I feel especially privileged to have had the opportunity to visit Steve and his family in Fargo in the summer of 2017, and experience with him the people, places, and history he came from.

It’s very sad to say farewell to Steve, The generosity, laughs, and friendship he brought to this world are memories I’ll always recall and treasure.

Steve was a very special friend to Genetic Genealogy DNA administrators. He is sorely missed. RIP Steve.