John "Jack" M. Lord

John M. “Jack” Lord, 83 of Starkweather, ND died on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Jack will be held on Monday, August 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church, Starkweather. Rev. Robert Buechler will officiate and burial will be in the Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church on Monday one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Jack will be John Myklebust, Dale Telly, Scott Telly, Dick Million, Lee Myklebust and Mel Gette Music will be Congregational hymns with Carol Sue Pederson as organist. John M. Lord was born on May 31, 1924 at Starbeck, Minnesota the son of Harry and Agnes (Vig) Lord. He was reared and educated in Minnesota, graduating from high school in 1942. He then enlisted in the Army Air Corp on May 23, 1944. He received his wings and eventually would pilot a B17 Bomber as a member of the 747th Bomb Squadron based in Italy. At a very young age, Jack became a 1st Lieutenant and group leader of the 456th Bomb Group because of the leadership and survivor skills he demonstrated on each mission he flew. After his honorable discharge on October 22, 1945, he returned to Minnesota and received his degree in engineering in 1957 from the University of Minnesota. While attending the University he owned and operated a 3.2 Beer Bar in Minneapolis. After graduation, Jack began getting contracts to install water and sewer systems in several small towns in Minnesota. This eventually grew into a large successful construction company. He did construction in Minnesota, North Dakota and several states on the East Coast, retiring in 1964. In 1975 he moved to Starkweather where he made his home through the years. The great outdoors and the great opportunities for hunting and fishing are what drew Jack to North Dakota. These were memorable experiences that Jack shared with his many friends and neighbors in the Starkweather area. Jack also enjoyed traveling, which included trips to New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Argentina. But for Jack, the small town life of knowing your neighbors, playing a game of “Smear” with the local card players every morning and a cup of coffee and good conversation with his neighbors were his most treasured moments. Jack is survived by his cousins, Charles Vig, James Vig, Harold Vig, Betty Bray, Elaine Szymoniak, Arthur Vig and Phyllis Vig-Josephs and many dear friends and neighbors.