Alfred Christopher Bellerud was born to Mads and Alvilda Bellerud on January 4, 1933 on the family farm between Adams and Park River, ND. He grew up on the family farm and attended the country school house through the eighth grade when he began working on the farm. He married Edna Kjenstad on June 28, 1952. Al served in the United States Army from 1953 until 1955 during the Korean conflict. Alfred and Edna were married 18 days shy of 68 years. They were blessed with two children, Pamela Jayne and Paul Wayne.
After living in Texas for 2 years while in the army, the couple moved back to the Park River area for a few years, then to Thief River Falls, MN where Alfred was employed at Brodins Heating and Air Conditioning for several years until he opened Al’s Heating. They then moved to Mandan, ND where he worked with his brother at Dakota Appliance. The couple traveled to all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. A few winters were spent in Arizona and Texas. Upon retirement, they returned to Park River, ND where they lived until Edna passed away in 2020. Al moved to Grand Forks, ND in 2021 to be near family there. He was selected for the Veterans Honor Flight to Washington DC on April 30, 2022. This was a special honor to him.
Alfred was a member of the Gideons for several years making visits to churches, jails, schools, motels and hospitals throughout the area. In 2007 he was ordained by the Nazarene Church. He truly enjoyed sharing his faith with anyone he met including the nurses at the hospital up until the time of his death. He ministered to many making visits to shut ins, nursing home residents and hospital patients. In his retirement he enjoyed helping out at the Shepard Farm near Crystal, ND. Al loved playing cards into the wee hours of the morning, drinking coffee, making lefse and even donuts just two days before entering the hospital.
Al was a genuine friend to everyone he met and will be greatly missed by his children: Pam (Charlie) Olson and Paul (Vickie) Bellerud; 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mads and Alvilda, wife: Edna, siblings: Anna (Ben) Setness, Melvin (Eunice) Bellerud, Bernt (Marilyn) Bellerud and Helen (Freeman) Olson. Also his in-laws: Ben and Emma Kjenstad, Gladys (Bob) Carpenter, Evelyn (Robert) Roseno, John (Jean) Kjenstad, Lowell (Myrna) Kjenstad and several nieces and nephews.
Al passed away on December 11, 2023 at the age of 90 years 11 months and 7 days.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 2:00 PM at the Bethel Lutheran Church, 1616 South 17th Street, Grand Forks, ND. There will be a visitation time one hour prior to the service at the church. Military rites will be provided by the Park River American Legion Post and the North Dakota National Guard Honor Guard. Inurnment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, Park River, ND in the spring. Al’s funeral will be live streamed on the church’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/bethelgf.org. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Gideon’s or the Hospice of the Red River Valley.
After living in Texas for 2 years while in the army, the couple moved back to the Park River area for a few years, then to Thief River Falls, MN where Alfred was employed at Brodins Heating and Air Conditioning for several years until he opened Al’s Heating. They then moved to Mandan, ND where he worked with his brother at Dakota Appliance. The couple traveled to all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. A few winters were spent in Arizona and Texas. Upon retirement, they returned to Park River, ND where they lived until Edna passed away in 2020. Al moved to Grand Forks, ND in 2021 to be near family there. He was selected for the Veterans Honor Flight to Washington DC on April 30, 2022. This was a special honor to him.
Alfred was a member of the Gideons for several years making visits to churches, jails, schools, motels and hospitals throughout the area. In 2007 he was ordained by the Nazarene Church. He truly enjoyed sharing his faith with anyone he met including the nurses at the hospital up until the time of his death. He ministered to many making visits to shut ins, nursing home residents and hospital patients. In his retirement he enjoyed helping out at the Shepard Farm near Crystal, ND. Al loved playing cards into the wee hours of the morning, drinking coffee, making lefse and even donuts just two days before entering the hospital.
Al was a genuine friend to everyone he met and will be greatly missed by his children: Pam (Charlie) Olson and Paul (Vickie) Bellerud; 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mads and Alvilda, wife: Edna, siblings: Anna (Ben) Setness, Melvin (Eunice) Bellerud, Bernt (Marilyn) Bellerud and Helen (Freeman) Olson. Also his in-laws: Ben and Emma Kjenstad, Gladys (Bob) Carpenter, Evelyn (Robert) Roseno, John (Jean) Kjenstad, Lowell (Myrna) Kjenstad and several nieces and nephews.
Al passed away on December 11, 2023 at the age of 90 years 11 months and 7 days.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 2:00 PM at the Bethel Lutheran Church, 1616 South 17th Street, Grand Forks, ND. There will be a visitation time one hour prior to the service at the church. Military rites will be provided by the Park River American Legion Post and the North Dakota National Guard Honor Guard. Inurnment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, Park River, ND in the spring. Al’s funeral will be live streamed on the church’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/bethelgf.org. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Gideon’s or the Hospice of the Red River Valley.