Terry L. Bartness

Terry L. Bartness, 63, of Park Rapids, died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, at his home.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids with the Rev. Steve Nordby officiating. A visitation will be held from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Park Rapids, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Military Honors will be provided by the Otto Hendrickson American Legion Post No. 212 Honor Guard Team of Park Rapids. A Military Gun Salute will be provided by the Star of The North Marine Corp Honors Team.

The pallbearers will be Kip Nelson, Jerry Engleman, Dave Robinson, Mark Wenger, Rob Schatz and Chad Hansen.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Beck, Kenny Glimsdal, Mark Williamson, Kevin Skjei, Chuck Hansen, Steve Di Brito, Russ Marshall, the Coffee Group, Bruce Gravalin, Pete Boe and all former students, faculty, staff, administrators, and school board and community members that worked with him over the years.

He was born March 14, 1946, to Tilman and Beverly (Magloughlin) Barness, in Fargo, N.D. He was raised in Dilworth, Minn., where he graduated from high school in 1964. He went on to attend Moorhead State College, where he received his bachelors degree. He later earned his specialist degree in education from North Dakota State University. He was united in marriage to Margo Alice Fering, May 18, 1968, in Fargo. They moved to Appleton, Minn., where he was a math teacher until being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969. He served as an MP in Hurlong, Calif., until being honorably discharged as a Sergeant in 1971. They returned to Appleton, where he taught until 1976, and then moved to Mayville-Portland, N.D., where he was the high school principal until 1980. From 1980-1990 they lived in Williston, N.D. where he was junior high school principal until 1990. From 1990-1996 he was Superintendant of Schools in Larimore, N.D. and he served as Superintendant of Park Rapids Schools from 1996- 2001. He finished his career as Superintendant of Kelliher Schools from 2002 until his retirement in 2008. He was past president of the North Dakota Principals Association. He was a member of the Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, where he sang in the choir. He was always active in the communities he lived and worked belonging to many civic, community and professional organizations over the years. He enjoyed hunting deer, ducks, and pheasants. He also liked to fish especially ice fishing. He enjoyed being active with the Boy Scouts, spending time with his family and grandchildren, watching high school, college and professional sports. He served as assistant coach in every sport.

He is survived by his wife, Margo A. Bartness of Park Rapids; son, Tim Bartness of Park Rapids; daughter, Tammy (Mike) Stifter of River Falls, Wis.; two grandchildren; his mother, Beverly “Bunny” Bartness of Dilworth; brothers, Roger (Pat) Bartness of Williston, Larry (Anna) Bartness of Panama City, Fla. and Gary Bartness of Lake Jackson, Texas; sister, Mary Kay (Jerome) Reimche of Moorhead, Minn.; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents; two uncles; his brother, Donald Bartness and his father, Tilman Bartness.

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