James "Art" Nordbeck

Art passed away peacefully on March 2, 2024. He was 98 years old. Art was born to John and Ethel (Veysey) Nordback in Fargo, ND. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and served as a diesel technician on the USS Knox. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He told stories of being out in the sea when Iwo Jima took place. After his discharge he returned to Fargo and worked as a carpenter, eventually becoming the Vice President of Asp Construction. He oversaw the building of many apartments in the 3-state area and covered many miles in a day. He enjoyed hunting ducks and geese in his early years and even married his wife Dorothy (Nielsen) on one of those trips in 1947. They later divorced but remained good friends. His love of hunting and guns later became a hobby in his life as he started trapshooting. He was a champion trap shooter in the state of North Dakota and the first to break 200 straight singles in ND. He was inducted into the North Dakota Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1972.

When he retired from construction he moved to a farmstead near Dent, MN and resided there until 2013 when he moved to Perham. He was a voracious reader, reading on the average of 10-15 books a week. He continued until his eyesight got the best of him. He enjoyed driving all over the countryside checking on crops, looking for animals and telling many stories along the way. He lived with his daughter and husband the last five years of his life and helped deliver Meals on Wheels and set up for the Backpack Program in Perham. He was their oldest volunteer! He is survived by his sister, Bonnie Van Gilder, Edgewater, WI; children Gregory (Sue) Nordbeck, Fargo, ND, Roxanne (Jeff) Hunter, Detroit Lakes, MN, Kris (Kevin) Tjaden Monument, CO; daughter-in-law Mary Nordbeck Dent, MN and special nephew Daniel Owens, Birchwood, WI. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, two foster grandkids and 23 great grandkids and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by the mother of his children Dorothy Nordbeck; sons James "Jim" A. Nordbeck Jr., Cameron Nordbeck; his parents and eight siblings. A private graveside family service will take place in the spring.

Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com