Bennett J. Ohnstad

Bennett John Ohnstad, 53, of Argusville, ND, died on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, in Essentia Health, Fargo, ND, after a courageous, year-long battle with cancer.

Bennett, the son of Jim and Susan (Fischer) Ohnstad, was born May 22, 1965, in Dakota Hospital, Fargo. He grew up on the family farm near Argusville/Gardner and graduated from Norman County West High School in Halstad, MN, in 1983. During his high school years, he helped his Grandpa Bennie and Uncle Bernard on the farm. He was very involved in school activities, such as sports, drama/3-act plays, 4-H and music. He was honored to be chosen for Boys State and Homecoming King.

After high school, Bennett attended Moorhead Technical College for air conditioning/refrigeration. He then went to work for Clark's Excavating, Georgetown, MN, and later was employed by Palliser Furniture, Fargo, and the fertilizer department at Grandin Co-op. When the new school, Northern Cass, was built in 1999, Bennett was hired as their head custodian and worked there until illness forced him to take a leave of absence.

Bennett was involved in many community activities. He was a member of the Gardner Volunteer Fire Department and the Gardner/Grandin Lion's Club. He participated in many activities with his friends, such as pool leagues, darts, and horseshoes. He loved fishing, restoring tractors and attending the Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag, MN. Bennett also helped with farming for his brother Kevin, Al Barker and Corby Heller. During the season of racing and football, he was glued to the TV watching NASCAR, the Minnesota Vikings and NDSU Bison with his friends. He also enjoyed his yearly trips ice fishing up north and attending Moondance Jam.

Bennett loved music and was a talented musician and singer. At the age of 13, he helped to form a band with his friends called "Hands Down." After high school, he joined "The Country Ramblers", and shortly thereafter, Bennett started a band with his younger sister, Jennifer, and his uncle, Roger Fischer, called "Karefree." He also played in a variety of different bands, "Bottoms Up", "Spanky Woods", "Jenny and the Bennetones", to name a few, and performed with many local musicians. Currently, their band is called "Midnight Highway." Bennett loved both classic country and classic rock music and also enjoyed playing a variety of styles of music.

Bennett is survived by his daughter, Nicole (Gillespie) Pritchard, and his grandchildren, Landon, Lylla, and Jeremyah, Fargo; mother, Susan Ohnstad, Argusville; brother, Kevin (Teresa) Ohnstad, Argusville; sisters, Julie (Jim) Scoville, West Fargo, ND and Jennifer Ohnstad (Carl Koste), Perley, MN; many nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his five-day old grandson, Jaxon (twin of Jeremyah); father, Jim; grandparents, Bennie and Lucy (Kolosky) Ohnstad and George and Helen (Barclay) Fischer; and other family members.

Bennett's family would like to acknowledge and thank all who were a part of his life. You were all very special to him.

Memorials may be directed to the Music Department at Northern Cass School, Hunter, ND.

A Visitation for Bennett will be Tuesday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, with a 6:30 PM Prayer Service in St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Moorhead.

His Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at 11:00 AM in St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Moorhead.

Burial will be in Wild Rose Cemetery, rural Georgetown, MN.

(Korsmo Funeral Service, Moorhead, MN)