Robert E. "Bob" Alvestad

Robert “Bob” Eugene Alvestad, 85 of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Easter Sunday morning, March 27, 2016 at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake with loving family at his side. Mass of the Resurrection will be held on Friday, April 1, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Devils Lake with the Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating Mass. Burial will be at the Devils Lake Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home in Devils Lake on Thursday, March 31, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will continue at the church on Friday for one hour prior to the funeral Mass. Robert “Bob” Eugene, son of Anton and Mary (Benson) Alvestad was born on October 12, 1930 in Dresden, ND. Of the twelve children born to Anton and Mary, 4 of them had birthdays within 5 days of Bob’s. Bob was reared and educated in Doyon, ND and graduated from Doyon High School with the class of 1948. Bob entered the United States Army on January 16, 1951 and was stationed at Camp Rucker, Alabama and at the Induction Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received an honorable discharge from active duty on January 22, 1953 with the rank of Corporal. On January 23, 1953 Bob began 22 years of service with the North Dakota Army National Guard with the 3662nd Heavy Equipment Maintenance Company at Camp Grafton. He served as the Small Arms Officer for the State of North Dakota. The best part of Bob’s life started when he met an adorable girl, Marian Schwan, at a dance in Crary, ND in 1947. They danced that night until their legs tired out, but the romance continued for over 65 years. They were united in marriage on April 12, 1951 at Camp Rucker, AL. They made Devils Lake their home in 1953. In their life together, times were ever changing and their dance went from the jitterbug, to the polka to the slow waltz. They were partners in raising their family, in their work, as owners and operators of the Devils Lake Greenhouse from 1968 to 2002, and through their retirement years. Bob was a sharpshooter with the National Guard North Dakota Rifle Team and enjoyed hunting in his younger years. He also enjoyed membership in the Devils Lake Town and Country Club, the Eagles Club and the Elks Lodge. He volunteered at St. Joseph Church, St. Mary’s Academy and the Knights of Columbus whenever he could. He loved to play cards with family and friends, and you could always find him at each family holiday gathering or special event. Bob’s loving family includes his wife Marian; children Cynthia (Richard) Kinney of Grand Forks, Belinda Vetsch of Devils Lake, Robert Curtis (Bette) Alvestad of Craig, Colorado, Gale (Mark) Allard of Devils Lake, and James (Sue) Alvestad of Devils Lake; grandchildren Jessica Nelson, Ryan Langerud, Joey Vetsch, Sheila Schmaltz, Kim Alvestad, Jacob Alvestad, Amber Kub, Steven Allard, David Allard and Tony Alvestad; eight great-grandchildren and many dear nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law Don Langerud; grandson Bobby Vetsch; great-grandson Jamisson Schmaltz; three brothers and eight sisters. Casket Bearers for Bob will be his grandsons Joey Vetsch, Ryan Langerud, Jacob Alvestad, Steven Allard, David Allard, Tony Alvestad and great grandson Brett Larson. Reading the Scriptures will be granddaughters Jessica Nelson, Kim Alvestad and Amber Kub. Gift Bearers will be granddaughters Jessica Nelson, Kim Alvestad, Sheila Schmaltz and Amber Kub. Music will be performed by Lynne Webster, Audrey Myklebust and Catherine Anfinson.