Laurence T. Kirk

Laurence T. Kirk, 83, of Devils Lake, ND died on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at Emerado, ND. Funeral Services for Laurence will be held Saturday, August 23, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Devils Lake, ND. Rev. David Birkeland will officiate and burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Laurence will be Carl Kaeding, Eric Kaeding, Lee Calderwood, William Gordon, Myron Kaeding and Dan Stave. Music will be provided by Mary Oehlke, soloist and Naomi Modrow, organist Laurence Theodore Kirk was born December 20, 1924, in Minot, ND to Marvin and Bonna (Harvey) Kirk. They lived in Minot until he was in sixth grade when they moved to the family farm seven miles south of Crary, ND. Laurence graduated from Crary High School in 1943. Laurence was in the Army at the end of World War II. He had been exempted from being drafted early on due to being an essential farm worker, helping his Dad on the farm. He served in the Army stateside from March of 1946 to October of 1947. Laurence completed his Bachelor’s Degree at NDAC/NDSU in Agriculture in 1952. He worked for the Soil Conservation Service in Watford City, Steele and Carson from 1952-1960. He married A. Arlene (Remmich) on March 19, 1955. He worked for the newspaper in Wahpeton from 1960-1963. They returned to farm the family farm in March of 1963, retiring in 1989. They moved into Devils Lake in 2001. Laurence was a supervisor on the Ramsey County Soil Conservation District Board for 15 years. He was a member of the County School Reorganization Board and the Heritage Board. He was an active proponent of landowners’ rights to use of land and water. Laurence is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Devils Lake. Laurence and Arlene were involved in missionary work with the United Methodist NOMADs in the southern United States from 1990 to 2001 for 14 weeks each winter. Laurence will be fondly remembered for his sense of humor. He always kept his caregivers laughing while they ministered to him the last 4 months. Laurence is survived by his wife, Arlene, of 53 years; two sons, James of Devils Lake and Mark (Kim) of Southam; two daughters, Rita Kaeding of Devils Lake and Diane (Charles) Miller of Sawyer, ND; sons-in-law, William Gordon of Fargo, ND and Myron Kaeding of Devils Lake; five grandchildren, Carl (Kate Fossum), Eric and Jennelle Kaeding and Jesse and Matthew Kirk, along with one great grandson, Tanner Kaeding; He is also survived by a brother, Glen (Lois) Kirk, of Fargo and two sisters, Evelyn Sandberg of Lancaster, CA and Doris (Henry) Pauck of Schaumburg, Illinois and many nieces and nephews. Laurence was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Bonna Kirk; brothers, Harold and John Kirk; sister, Marjorie Somsen; daughter, Ruth Gordon and infant son, Dwight.