Edward C. Herda

Edward C. “Ed” Herda, 82 of Grand Forks formerly of Crary ND passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at the Lakota Good Samaritan Care Center.

Funeral Services for Ed will be held on Monday, August 7th, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake ND. Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon on Monday until the time of service. Memorials may be directed to the VFW or the Lakota Good Samaritan Society in memory of Ed. 

Edward Charles Herda, son of Joseph J. and Mildred A. (Foss) Herda was born on June 19, 1941, in Devils Lake.  He grew up on the family farm near Crary and attended the Crary Public School. He graduated from Crary High School in 1959. He continued his education at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, graduating with a major in accounting in 1965. He also received training in aviation and earned his private and commercial pilot licenses with instrument ratings.  While at UND, Ed was instrumental in the formation and a charter member of the UND Flying Club.

He married Susan O’Brien in 1966 in Rock Lake, ND and they were the proud parents of two daughters Shannon and Autumn. They later divorced.

In January of 1966 Ed entered the 3rd Marine Corp and proudly and honorably served his country during the Vietnam War. He served in Vietnam and stateside and was the recipient of several medals and commendations including the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Meritorious Mast, and the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in December of 1967 and continued to serve with the Reserves until 1972.

Ed returned to North Dakota and was a commercial pilot for Morris and Knutson during the building of the missile bases. He worked for his uncle as a spray pilot for Foss and Meier and was also an independent spray pilot. In 1972, Ed was awarded his Certified Public Accountant title and worked as a CPA for Ramsey National Bank and as an independent CPA.

Ed never forgot his roots as a farmer’s son, and in 1978 he began farming the family farm at Crary until retirement in 2007.

Ed was united in marriage to Mary J. Wesolowski on March 28th, 1996, in Grand Forks and they made their home on the farm at Crary until 2011 when they moved to Grand Forks. Since June of 2019, Ed has been a resident of the Lakota Good Samaritan Care Center.

Ed loved his Yorkies, Sammy, Oskar, and Felix.  Ed enjoyed hunting, trapping, and fishing. He won many state awards for his rifle target shooting and always looked forward to a game of cards, especially whist, pinochle, and poker.

Ed was a life member of the VFW and a life member of the Grand Forks Gun Club.

Ed’s loving family include his wife, Mary; daughters Shannon (Curt) Teigen, Devils Lake and Autumn (Kelly) Graber, Bemidji, MN; grandchildren Shelby Teigen (Sam Hultberg), Qwinn, Michigan, Kaelyn Teigen (Zach Peterson), Fargo, North Dakota, Jackson Teigen, Waialua, Hawaii, Aiden Graber and Zachary Graber both of Bemidji; sister Joelene M. (Herda) Boyles, Galveston, Indiana; step daughter Michele Ditondo, Grand Forks; step son Nathan (Erin) Wesolowski of Angus, Minnesota; seven step grandchildren; three step great grandchildren; sister-in-law Diane (Allard) Herda, Mandan, North Dakota; special cousin and good friend Al Herda, Devils Lake; many beloved nieces and nephews and fur baby Yorkie Felix.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Mildred, brother Joseph W. Herda, stepson Norman Wesolowski, brother-in-law Gary Boyles and fur baby friends Sam and Oskar.