Darrell "Bud" Stenseth

Darrell H. “Bud” Stenseth, of Devils Lake formerly of Crary, ND beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at his home in the loving care of his family and Mercy Hospice. He was 83. Funeral Services for Darrell will be held on Saturday, February 16th at 2:00 p.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Rev. Jamie Desai officiating. Burial will take place at the Devils Lake Cemetery immediately following the service. All are invited to a celebration of Darrell’s life directly following in the Our Saviors Fellowship Hall. Visitation will be held on Friday at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a time of remembrance and sharing at 7:00 p.m. Serving as Casket Bearers for Darrell will be his grandchildren. Honorary Bearers will be the members of the Devils Lake Rural Fire Department. Darrell was born on May 8th, 1924 at the Stenseth home in Crary, ND to Hjalmer and Louise (Froelich) Stenseth. He attended school at Crary, graduating from high school in May 1942. Darrell went to Seattle, Washington in September, 1942, to work in the shipyards building ships for the war effort. He then returned to North Dakota to be drafted into the U.S. Army, May 8th, 1943. After training at Camp Barkely, Texas, Camp Carson, Colorado and at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, he was trained as a medic and assigned to the 69th Infantry Division. They went to England for a short time and went into battle action at the Siegfried Line, January, 1945. When World War II ended, he was honorably discharged at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Darrell returned to Crary and worked at Powell Motors, Devils Lake, taking GI training as a mechanic. He met the love of his life, Dolores Estenson, and they. were married on April 26th, 1948. He was hired into his lifetime job as Rural Mail Carrier in Crary and served nearly 40 years in that position. He was very proud of his Army time and also his government job delivering mail. Another area of service that Bud pursued was as a Charter Member of the Devils Lake Rural Fire Department. After retirement from the U.S. Postal Service, he worked at the Senior Center in Devils Lake doing chores for seniors-again a life of service. But more important than all his jobs was his devotion to his family. There were five children born to Darrell and Dolores: Peggy Rutten (fiancé, Ed Dettmer), Robins, Iowa; Monica (Denny) Sabo, Bigfork, Montana; Mark (Carrie) Stenseth, Fort Lupton, Colorado; Tracy (Bob) Christie, Devils Lake; Jeff (Tracey) Stenseth, Fargo, ND. Bud is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Michelle (Mike) Johnson, Colleen (Nick) Thiesen; Todd Sabo, Scott (Heather) Sabo, Jordan Sabo; Heidi Stenseth, Joshua Stenseth, AnnaRose Stenseth; Cody Christie, Brynna Christie; Parker Stenseth; Great Grandchildren: Kayla Sabo and Sophia Johnson; Sisters: Virginia Benson, Bemidji, Minnesota, Doris Cudmore, Loveland, Colorado and Lois (Jack) Rogan, East Helena, Montana. Bud and Dolores were lifetime active members of First Lutheran Church in Crary until it closed in 1995. Bud served in several offices in the church-Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Board Member. They later joined Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Devils Lake after moving here for Bud’s retirement years. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Duane Stenseth; sister, Loretta Olson and son-in-law, James Rutten. Memorials may be directed to the Mercy Hospice Program of Devils Lake.