Karsten Sathre • 1916 - 2010

Karsten Sathre, 93, rural Battle View, ND, died Thursday, August 12, 2010, at the Tioga Medical Center.

Karsten Sathre was born November 12, 1916, to Martin and Karen (Odegaard) Sathre on the homestead north of Battle View, ND. Along with his siblings Margaret, Nora, and Martin “Bob” he was raised on the farm and completed 8th grade at Pleasant View School northwest of the farm. He continued to farm the homestead land for the rest of his life. He was active in maintaining the beauty of the farmyard together with his wife until his death. One of his greatest joys was the smell of fresh cut grass and admiring the colors of the many plants and flowers in the farmyard. He was especially proud of the numerous evergreens planted at the farm and was honored by the Burke County Soil Conservation in 1986 for his efforts.

During the 1930’s he joined the Youth Conservation Corps and served near Bottineau, ND. On May 11, 1941, he married Alice Julia Ness, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Plentywood, Mt. They continued to farm and live on the homestead for the next 69 years raising five children.

Karsten was a lifelong member of Scandia Lutheran Church serving on the church council numerous times. As a young man he was a member of the Norwegian church choir initiated and directed by his father. He belonged to the Sons of Norway and also served on boards for Thorson Township, Pleasant View School, Farmers Union, Farmers Equity Elevator, Rural Fire Department, Burke County Council on Aging, and was a volunteer 4-H leader. He joined the Powers Lake Senior Citizens Center at its inception and remained active in its activities the remainder of his life. After driving school bus for the Powers Lake School District for 30 years, he became a bus driver for the Souris Basin Transportation Board for the next several years and served on its board of directors as well.

Besides the fulfillment of watching his crops and cattle grow and mature, he found many other joys in his life. He and Alice were active square dancers and served as president of the Town and Country Club for many years. He loved the challenge of playing cards and shooting pool with friends and family. Along with Alice, summers included fishing trips, camping, and introducing their children to many landmarks and historical sites throughout the USA. A highlight was a trip to Norway to visit relatives and the birthplaces of his father and mother. He will also be remembered for his fascination with unusual rocks and Indian artifacts he found in the fields and pastures. Even since retiring from farming, he still enjoyed driving through the countryside and viewing the crops. Most importantly, he appreciated time spent with his family during visits, travels, and celebrations.

He is survived by his wife, Alice, and five children: Dennis (Sandy) of Bloomington, MN, Roger (Vivian) of Tucson, AZ, Sandy of Grand Forks, ND, Susan (Robert) Odegaard of Tioga, ND, and Randy (Karla) of Wausau, WI. Eleven grandchildren were also an important part of his life: Lori (Bret) Cohn, Lisa (Michael) Collins, Kelly (Ryan) Minchow, Erika Pipetone, Mitchell and Karsten (Kristen) Sathre, Julie and Ryan Strenkowski, Tiffany (David) Lavigne, and Jayme and Brodie (Bridgette) Odegaard. He felt blessed by his 13 great-grandchildren: Jacob and Alexis Cohn, Elliana, Bennett, and Jett Collins, Carter, Jarret, and Brady Minchow, Julian Karsten Sathre, Zachary, Marcus, and Aiden Lavigne, and Kasey Odegaard. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings: Margaret (Chuck) Plautz, Nora (Philip) Peterson, and Martin (Alyce) Sathre.

Funeral: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at Scandia Lutheran Church, rural Battle View, ND.

Interment:  Scandia Lutheran Cemetery, rural Battle View, ND.

Visitation:  Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Powers Lake.

Prayer Service: Monday at 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Powers Lake.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Powers Lake Senior Citizen Center.

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