Orville Bernhoft

Orville Theodore Bernhoft, 98, of Fargo, ND and formerly of Mountain, ND, passed away December 15, 2016 at Villa Marie Nursing Home in Fargo. Funeral services will be held Monday, December 19, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Vikur Lutheran Church in Mountain. A visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service at the church.

Orville was born April 27, 1918, at Akra, ND to Edward Larus and Sophie (Brynolfson) Bernhoft. He grew up in Hensel, ND, where he attended school and graduated. Orville joined the Civilian Conservation Corp and was station in San Pedro, California until he returned to ND to attend Aakers Business College. He ventured out to California again for employment at the Bernhoft Market in West Los Angeles and later worked for Northrup Aircraft.
Orville entered the United States Army in 1943 and was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Missouri.

On December 18, 1943, he married Gudbjorg Maria (Judy) Einarson of Mountain.

Orville departed for overseas duty in March of 1944 and fought in the central European, Ardennes, and Rhineland Campaigns with the 291st Infantry Regiment, 75th Division. The 75th Division spend 94 consecutive days in contact with the enemy. After the war, he served at Camp Biltmore in France with Special Service Troops that were being deployed back to the US. He returned home January 1946 and began farming near Mountain until his retirement in 1980. His community involvements included: member of Vikur Society and Pembina Hills Lutheran Church, serving as secretary and treasurer of those churches; member and past commander of the Bjornson-Sigfusson Post #227, Borg Home Board Director, Mountain and Edinburg School Boards, Pembina County Crop Improvement Assistant Director, Farm Bureau Director, and School Reorganization Board. He is a member of the Tongue River Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rites and Kem Temple Shriners of Grand Forks. Orville received an agriculture award from NDSU for service to the agriculture industry. Orville was the youngest and last surviving of the 15 Bernhoft children.

Survivors include his wife, Judy, daughter Celeste (Lynn) Flanagan, West Fargo, ND; son, Wayne (Loretta) Bernhoft, Mountain, ND; four grandchildren: Christy Flanagan (Chuck) Stern, Maple Grove, MN; Carmen Flanagan (John) McShane, Eagan, MN; Ryan (Stacie) Bernhoft, Grand Forks, ND; Neil (Melanie) Bernhoft, Mountain, ND; nine great-grandchildren: Julia, Emily, and Molly Stern, Maple Grove, MN; Sophie and Drew McShane, Eagan, MN; Parker and Kate Bernhoft, Grand Forks, ND; and Madison and Connor Bernhoft, Mountain, ND.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Vikur Society, P.O. Box 145, Mountain, ND 58262.