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Oren E. Eliason • 1918 - 2003 Oren E. Eliason, 85, 1900 28th St. SW, Apt. 202, Minot, formerly of Donnybrook, ND, died Friday, October 10, 2003, in a Minot hospital. Oren was born June 15, 1918, on the family farm near Coulee, ND the two pound infant son of Ole J. and Emma S. (Martinson) Eliason. He was raised in that area and attended Crowfoot Township School #2 and later Kenmare High School where he graduated in 1937. While growing up Oren worked as a farm laborer in Montana and North Dakota. Oren married Charlotte R. Steen, on October 31, 1943, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Coulee, ND. They lived, farmed and ranched on the Eliason homestead in the Coulee area until 1999, when they moved to Minot. Charlotte died December 18, 2002. Oren was a lifetime member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Coulee, and both Oren and Charlotte were proud of the fact that they had been baptized, confirmed and married in that church. He served as church treasurer for a number of years and was very active in the church. Oren drove school bus for Kenmare High School and scored 100% on two of his bus exams. He served as Crowfoot Township Assessor, Mountrail County for over 40 years, and worked for the Mountrail County ASCS office for close to 20 years. He sold insurance for Kenmare Farmers Mutual Insurance, and was awarded Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Kenmare FFA. Oren loved his family very much. He enjoyed playing cards, especially with his grandchildren. He also enjoyed shooting pool, gardening and working around the yard. Survivors: Sons, Dennis (Bonnie) Eliason, Slidell, Louisiana, Dave Eliason, Minot, Clarence "Kelly" Eliason and his wife,Cory Tompkins, Sheridan, Wyoming, Iver (Marla) Eliason, Garrison, and James Eliason, Madison, Wisconsin; daughters, Karen (Rick) Fischer, Chaska, MN, Charlene Eliason and her husband Jim Johnson, Milbank, SD, and Ellen (Jim) Meadows, Minot; grandchildren, Shanon (Dana) Peters, Nicole "Nici" (Mark) Scott, Jodi (Kyle) Skartvedt, Katie (Will) North, Kristie Eliason, Nick Fischer, Lauren Fischer, Jennifer Johnson, Jeremy Johnson, Tony Meadows and Kristal Meadows; eleven great-grandchildren; sisters, Eleanor Lehne, Bismarck, ND, Fern Hilstad, Circle, MT, Rose Bass, Billings, MT; numerous nieces and nephews survive. Oren was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte R. Eliason; son, John S. Eliason; his parents, Ole and Emma Eliason; brother, Bert Eliason; sisters, Irene Johnson, Alice Hamre and three infant siblings. Funeral: Tuesday, October 14, 2003, at 10:30 a.m., at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Coulee, ND. Visitation: Sunday, October 12, 2003, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Monday, October 13, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot, ND. Burial: Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery, rural Coulee, ND. Officiant: Rev. James "Pete" Weist |