Dennis James Friestad, age 76, of Enderlin, ND, formerly of Valley City, ND, died Monday, December 21st at Maryhill Manor, Enderlin, ND after a 14 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
A private family service will be held on Monday, December 28th at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Valley City. Public
Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 27th from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Due to COVID 19, ND Department of Health Regulations will be followed, social distance will encouraged and Masks will be required. Burial will be in Stiklestad Cemetery near Fort Ransom, ND.
Dennis James Friestad was born February 10, 1944, to Juel and Mabel Friestad. He was raised on a farm near Kintyre, ND. A graduate of Napoleon High School and Valley City State College, he was an accomplished athlete, and went on to teach and coach at Valley City High School for 39 years. He is in the VCHS, VCSU, and ND Wrestling Halls of Fame. As a Science Olympiad coach, his teams made many trips to national competitions, and Dennis continued helping coordinate regional and state competitions after he retired.
He married Helen Berger on June 7, 1968. As a young man, he spent summers as a smoke jumper with the U.S. Forest Service. In the 1980s, Dennis served on the board of Valley City Community Theater and spent many summers building sets as well as acting in performances. He was active in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, singing in the choir and cooking lutefisk for the annual supper. With his family, he traveled to nearly all 50 states and a handful of foreign countries. His other favorite pastimes included golf, racquetball, and tending his fruit and vegetable garden, raising produce that he sold to local restaurants and grocery stores.
Dennis had a great sense of humor and a dry wit. He loved playing cards and laughing at a good story.
He is survived by his wife Helen; children Karla (Kirby) Robb, Jacob, Molly, and Megan, South Heart; Mark (Allison) Friestad, Grayson and Blakely, Vista, CA; Jill (Eric) Bergstedt, Rachael, Martin, Natalie, and Julia, Enderlin; sister Judy Woods, Bellevue, NE; brother Soren (Terry) Friestad, West Fargo; sister-in-law Sheila Friestad, Kintyre; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ronnie and Doug.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.