Florence R. French, age 102 of Oakwood, ND, passed away on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at the Unity Medical Center of Grafton.
Florence Osowski was born June 28, 1923 in Minto, ND, the daughter of the late Frank and Helen Osowski. She attended school in Minto and later attended Acton School. Following her education she worked at the Deaconess Hospital as a nurse aide. She was united in marriage to Charles French on September 24, 1946 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Minto. The couple made their home near Oakwood where they farmed and raised their children. Charles passed away on November 24, 2000, and she continued to make her home on the farm until the time of her passing.
She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Oakwood where she also was part of the choir, altar society, cleaning committee and taught religious education. She took pride in her large abundant garden and was a skilled seamstress and excellent baker.
Florence is survived by her children: Mary Eng, Blaine, MN, Gregory French, Grafton, ND, Charlotte Foley, Hazel Green, AL, and Peter French, Oakwood, ND; grandchildren: Melanie Eng, Melissa Chimento, Heather Corkery, Justin French, Karissa Brossart and Frank Foley Jr.; great grandchildren: William, Katie, Joseph, Lilli, Logan, Alanna, Bohdi, Adley, Bronx, Miles and Weston; great-great granddaughter Laikyn; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Charles; son Michael; son-in-laws John Eng and Frank Foley; and siblings: Ambrose, Hiladore, Hilary, Leo, Martha, Dorothy, Mary Ann and Lillian.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM at the St. John’s Catholic Church of Grafton. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery of Oakwood, ND.

Mary Kay Heggen, age 68 of Park River, ND, passed away on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at the First Care Health Center of Park River.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Park River. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7 with a Rosary at 7:00 PM at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Park River. Friends may also call at the church on Thursday for one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be at the Calvary Cemetery of Park River. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the First Care Health Center or St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Park River.

Dorothy S. Graber, age 90 of Park River, ND passed away on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Society of Park River.
Dorothy S. Spenst was born January 25, 1935 to the late Henry and Susie (Freisen) Spenst in Dresden, ND. She was raised on the family farm just outside of Langdon. Dorothy was a graduate of Mayville Teacher’s College. Her first teaching position was a one room schoolhouse near Alsen, ND. Where she met her husband, Norman. They married June 21, 1959. They settled in Langdon and moved to Park River in 1966. Dorothy taught elementary school in the Park River School District 30+ years. She loved teaching and loved the wonder and curiosity of young children. Her favorite was always story time, where she could share her love of books.
Dorothy was a member of Park River Retired Teachers, Birthday Club, and Coffee Club. She loved visiting with friends, reading, knitting and sewing. She cherished making things for her family and friends and gifting them with love. She and Norman loved music and spent many years enjoying concerts with their son Mike at Chester Fritz Auditorium in Grand Forks. They made several trips to Branson, as well, to take in the musical events. Dorothy enjoyed the years of gathering with family, especially her son Mike and his family and her nieces and nephews.
Dorothy is survived by her son Mike Graber (Valerie Bogert), Park River, ND, granddaughters: Evelyn Brown and April Simmons, and great grandchildren: Bailey Simmons and Jaylyn Dirks. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, and infant daughter.
Memorial services will be on Friday, October 31, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Park River. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at Alsen Cemetery in Alsen, ND.

Mary E. Suda, age 88 of Veseleyville, ND passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at First Care Health Center of Park River, ND.
Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, November 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke’s Catholic Church of Veseleyville, ND. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be at St. Luke’s Catholic Cemetery in the spring.

Steven L. Johnson
December 13, 1957 — October 12, 2025
Warroad

​Steven Johnson, formerly of Walhalla, ND, passed away on Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Essentia Health in Duluth, MN at the age of 67. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Askew Funeral Home in Walhalla, ND. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.
Steven was born on December 13, 1957, to Casey and Mary (Goulet) Johnson and graduated from Walhalla High School. He married Kathy (Lorenzen) on January 28, 1983.
Steven and Kathy lived in Cavalier until 1990 before moving to Warroad, MN. Steven worked at Marvin Windows and Polaris. Kathy passed away in 2001, and Steven resided in Warroad until meeting his significant other, Paula, in 2018. From then until his time of death, he resided in International Falls, MN.
Steven enjoyed hunting and fishing with his son, Stevie, Kelly, and granddaughter, Phoebe.
He is survived by his son, Stevie (Kelly), stepchildren: Lynnette (Kelly), Ginger (Shawn), and Shane (Carrie), 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, and his brother Mark.
He is preceded by his wife, Kathy, parents, Casey and Mary, siblings, Randy, Laurie, and Keith, and great-grandson, Brantley.

Kit Thomas Ford
October 3, 2025 — October 12, 2025
Cavalier

​Kit Thomas Ford, infant son of Mitchell and Courtney (Rehovsky) Ford passed away Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Cavalier. 
Full obituary to follow. 

LeRoy E. Nelson, age 85 of Grafton ND, passed away on Friday October 10, 2025 at Lutheran Sunset Home in Grafton.
LeRoy was born on January 5, 1940, in Grafton, ND, to Everett and Stella (Hanson) Nelson. He attended school in Grafton and graduated in 1959. On February 18, 1961, LeRoy was united in marriage to Thelma Watkins at Grafton Lutheran Church. Together, they built a home in Grafton, where they warmly welcomed family, friends, and neighbors, often hosting gatherings — including the annual Fire Department summer picnic. LeRoy loved a good party, enjoyed socializing, and especially liked playing cards, which he fondly referred to as “Bible study — studying the book of Numbers.”
In his early working years, LeRoy farmed with his uncle near Hoople, ND, and worked at Robertsons Lumber in Grafton. However, he was best known for the many years he worked for Grafton Public Schools. He began as a custodian at Chase School, when the new high school was built in 1981, he was promoted to Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds for the district. He later retired in November 1996, at the young age of 56.
But for LeRoy, one job was never enough. In addition to his work at the school, he served as the custodian at City Hall, helped Thelma’s uncle farm near Drayton, and assisted at a local funeral home. Even after retirement, LeRoy stayed active—spending summers working for Doug and Kevin Kirkeby, and later mowing for the City of Grafton during his final working years. His strong work ethic was a defining trait, one he proudly passed down to his daughters and grandchildren.
LeRoy was always willing to lend a helping hand and was deeply dedicated to his church and community. He was often seen cooking lutefisk at Park River Bible Camp for the annual lutefisk and meatball dinner, or peeling potatoes for the fall supper at Grafton Lutheran Church. Volunteering came naturally to him, and he was always ready to help however he could. His most notable service was to the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department, where he was a Lifetime Member. He served as Secretary/ Treasurer for over 40 years. In recognition of his many contributions, LeRoy was honored as Grafton’s Citizen of the Year in 2005.
Anyone driving past his home on East 3rd Street could see how much he loved working with his hands — whether it was tending to his large garden, maintaining his neatly kept yard, or building something new. He took great pride in his garden and loved sharing its bountiful harvest with friends and family.
But most of all, LeRoy was proud of the family he and Thelma built together, starting with their three daughters. The real fun began for LeRoy when those daughters brought son-in-laws into the family. Then came the grandchildren — the first being a girl, to which LeRoy proudly responded, “That’s what I wanted.” She was followed by a boy, and then three more girls. Continuing the trend, LeRoy was later blessed with four great-grandchildren — three girls and one boy.
LeRoy is survived by his daughters: Monica (Chris) Olson, Fargo, ND, Marcia (Chris) Olson, Grafton, ND, and Melinda (Burrell) Nadeau, Andover, MN; his grandchildren: Melissa (Kevin) Hopke, Cory (Melissa) Blanchard, Sydney Will (Tanner McKinnon), Lily Nadeau, and Claire Olson (Alex Ibanez); and his great-grandchildren: Danielle Blanchard, Karla Hopke, Julie Blanchard, and Owen Hopke. He is also survived by his sister, Ann Estad. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Thelma; parents, Everett and Stella Nelson; brother, Bennie Nelson; and father and mother-in-law, Willis and Marion Watkins.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Grafton Lutheran Church. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service. Military rites will be provided by the Grafton American Legion Post #41 and the North Dakota National Guard Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department, Grafton Lutheran Church, Landstad Cemetery, or the Lutheran Sunset Home. Interment will be at the Grafton Lutheran Cemetery.

Dory May Kosobud, age 63 of Minto, ND passed away Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at her home surrounded by her family.
Dory May Pruett was born February 1, 1962, to the late Ardell Pruett and Janice (Gerszewski) Baker in Grand Forks, ND. She was raised in Grand Forks and attended Red River High School. After her education, she met and married Willard Luoma. They welcomed four children: Joshua, Christine, Daniel, and Amanda. Dory raised her children in the Lankin area.
In 2001, she met Thomas Kosobud and their love story began. They united in marriage on June 28, 2003 and settled in to life in Minto, ND. Dory made Tom an instant father and grandfather, together they encouraged, supported, and loved their family unconditionally. They enjoyed traveling, going to casinos, and taking long drives through the country listening to their favorite country music. Dory cherished time with her children and grandchildren, especially at the holidays. She was known for her delicious cooking, especially her deviled eggs, at family gatherings.
Dory is survived by her husband Thomas, Minto, ND; her children: Joshua Luoma (Megan Agotness), Grand Forks, ND, Christine Anderson, Forest, VA, Daniel (Kayla) Luoma, Crookston, MN and Amanda (Bert) Galarza, Grafton, ND; 17 grandchildren and one great grandchild; siblings: Dina (Bob) Bommersbach, Reynolds, ND, Darin Pruett (Debbie Tyce) Grand Forks, ND, and Troy (Stacy) Pruett, Grand Forks, ND; and brothers-in-law: Ralph Weigel and Mike, Joe, and Richard Kosobud. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, sister Della Weigel, in-laws: Edwin and Bessie Kosobud; sisters-in-law: Kathy Gudajtes and Susan Kosobud, and brother-in-law Charlie Kosobud.
A special thank you to all who cared for Dory at the Altru Hospital and Cancer Center, Roger Marris Cancer Center, and Dr. Kristi Midgarden and her team.
Memorial Services will be on Monday, October 13, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at Minto City Cemetery of Minto, ND.

Delores (Gerszewski) Burianek, aka Mom, Mama, Busia, Delouise and affectionately The Old Bird & The Warden passed away Wednesday, October 8th at Unity Hospital.
She was a wonderful mother & the boss of the house. Her kids were always guilty unless proven innocent...we think this is why Todd became a lawyer as he had a lot of experience defending Brad over the years!
She was an even better grandmother. Her grandkids would often fake being sick just so they could spend the day with grandma doting on them.
Her first job was at the telephone company. She tells stories of how she would listen to dad talk to his ex-girlfriend after they had their first date. After they were married, she worked at the school as the hot lunch supervisor - The Lunch Lady. It was always a goal to make as much as they could home made in case kids didn't get a good meal at home.
Her joys were baking & cooking (if you liked what she made and asked for a recipe, she never had one as she was able to "wing" it). She also enjoyed playing slots and pull tabs. These last few years were hard as so many friends had passed away, so she didn't get to do those things like she would've liked to.
We joke that Brad was her favorite and we know that he truly was. If anyone misses mom these next few days, all you have to do is visit with Brad as they were basically the same person!
We figure it was time for mom to be reunited with dad ~ we're not sure how he survived these past years without her telling him what to do!
Delores is survived by her children Todd Burianek, Brad Burianek & Tara (Hans) Halvorson. Grandchildren Josh Burianek, Abby Burianek, Hannah Burianek, Liberty Halvorson & Wyatt Halvorson. She was preceded in death by her parents Sippy & Julia (Byzewski) Gerszewski; her husband Daniel Burianek; her siblings Evelyn Plutowski, Marie Lizakowski & Daniel Gerszewski.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, October 13, 2025 at 10:30 A.M. at the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Grafton, North Dakota. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Grafton, North Dakota.

Judy Nygard passéd into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on October 5, 2025 after a long hard fought battle with dementia.
Judith Fay Wilson was born March 2, 1935 in Hoople, ND to E. and Viola (Grythe) Wilson. Throughout high school she was active in glee club, choir, pep club, church and the school paper. They said you always knew where Judy was because you could hear her singing! Some or her favorite memories were of the times spent with her grandma and grandpa Grythe at the farm by Badger, MN and living with her mother and step-father Albert Aardahl and siblings on a farm by Adams, ND.
After her junior year, Judy took a break from school to work at a bank in Minneapolis, where she lived with her Aunt Betty. She returned to Hoople and graduated in 1954. While roller skating in Grafton she met the love of her life. She married Del Nygard in December of 1954 and they celebrated 70 ½ years together until his passing on July 31, 2025. With her dementia, she didn’t always remember his name, but she always remembered “he was the one she loved the most”. He was the bright spot in her day and I think her world just got too dark without him.
Being a strong woman of faith, Judy prayed daily for her family, church and neighbors. She was a wonderful example to all who knew her.
Judy was a self-taught bookkeeper, secretary, truck driver and wall paper hanger. There was nothing she couldn’t do. Being a avid reader she instilled the love of books in her children and grandchildren. Her love of animals was also a legacy she passed on. I don’t know how many cats, dogs and birds she rescued. They just seemed to sense that they could go to her.
Judy is survived by her children: Joni Nygard and Dr. Shane (Ann) Nygard; four adored grandchildren and families: Dr. Katie (Bart) Schouweiler, Grace, Brayden Liam and Micah; Emily (Nick) Ternes, Olivia, Ellianna & Jackson; Dr. Adam (Summer) Nygard, baby boy and Matthew Nygard. She is also survived by her sister, Gayle Brown and many much loved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Del, mother and step-father, Viola and Albert Aardahl, in-laws: Bert and Nellie Nygard, sister, Dottie, step-sister, Esther Boettger, brother and sister-in-law, Ray &Earline Wilson, brother-in-law Bill Brown, sisters-in-law Lorraine Thorlakson, Blanche (Harlan) Kravick, Marilyn Nygard and brother-in-law, Vernon (Alice) Nygard.
There was nothing this woman wouldn’t do for her family. She made countless sacrifices for her loved ones and always put others first.
“Mom we cannot thank you enough or love you more”. Her children will arise and call her blessed.
A special thank you to the staff at the Lutheran Sunset Home in Grafton for the last two years of care and support and to Valley 4000 for seeing us through the final stages of this dreaded disease. We couldn’t do it without you.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 10:30 A.M. at the Bethel Free Lutheran Church of Grafton, ND. Visitation will be Tuesday for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Memorial Park South in Grand Forks, ND.