November 7, 2012

John Pojorlie

Funeral service for John Pojorlie, 86, of Grassy Butte, N.D., was held Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at the First Lutheran Church of Watford City with Pastors Jay Reinke and Rob Favorite officiating. Interment was held at the Community Cemetery in Grassy Butte, N.D. John  passed away Nov. 1, 2012 at the Glendive Medical Center in Glendive, Mont.
John Pojorlie was born on Feb. 2, 1926, in Dickinson, N.D., to Efrin and Matilda (Poleshuk) Pojorlie. He was raised on the family homestead and was the second youngest of 10 children. He attended Boehm school a half of a mile from their homestead.
As a young man, John worked on the family farm until entering the U.S. Navy on Dec. 16, 1944. He served on the USS Wallace L. Lind destroyer as a Fireman 2nd class. John was honorably discharged on July 18, 1946, and John was very proud of being part of escorting General McCain and Admiral John Towers to Tokyo Bay for the surrendering ceremonies at the close of World War II.
After returning home, John married Emma Lorraine Eschenko on July 15, 1949, at the Watford City Court House. They purchased the family farm where they raised their four children, Victoria, Eugene, Jim and Cindy. John drove truck for Eklund Brothers Transport during the first oil boom of the mid-50's. He was mechanically inclined and enjoyed helping the neighbors with their needed repairs. John also enjoyed custom combining for the neighbors. Most of all, John had a deep passion for the land; farming and harvesting his crops each year. He was a very hard worker and possessed a sense of pride and confidence, never complaining, even when times were tough.
John was a tall, gentle, quiet man with a unique sense of humor and loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed teaching the youngsters to fish at his dam and shoot his 20 gauge shotgun. Each fall, John looked forward to deer hunting season with his ’46 Willys jeep and his yellow Ford feed pickup. Grandpa John enjoyed taking his grandsons to threshing bees and air shows, sharing his knowledge of antique machinery and aircraft. He loved attending rodeos and farm auction sales. John was proud to be a member of the Carl E. Rogen Legion Post 29 and the NRA. In March of 2012, John entered the Eastern Montana Veterans Home.
John is survived by his wife, Emma; sons, Eugene and Jim (Colleen); daughters, Victoria Schaff (Larry) and Cindy Geiger; 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Alvina Perekrestenko and numerous nieces and nephews.    
John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Paul, Peter, Dan, and Nick; sisters, Elsie, Katie, Pauline and Mary Kohanes.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER