April 25, 2012

Jon K. Prestangen

Memorial services for Jon K. Prestangen, 77, of Watford City, North Dakota will be 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, 2012, at First Lutheran Church in Watford City. Rev. Rob Favorite will officiate and interment will be a private ceremony at Teepee Butte Cemetery, rural Watford City. A reception for all will be held immediately after the service in the basement of the church.
Jon K. Prestangen was born March 12, 1935, at Williston, N.D., the son of Erik and Minda (Pederson) Prestangen. He was raised on a farm near Watford City, N.D., attended country school and graduated from Watford City High in 1953. He attended college at NDSU for one year and then went to Wahpeton. He went into farming with his father, also working for Eklund Bros. Transport (now Power Fuels). He also worked as a mechanic in Watford City for a few years. He entered the United States Army in 1957 and received a medical discharge. He married Ila (Gilstad) on Dec. 27, 1957, at First Lutheran Church. He continued farming and worked for Miracle Gas Co. They lived in Watford City for awhile then moved to his parent’s farm three miles south of Watford City. They had two children, Jonilla and Rocky. In 1968, they moved to their current ranch southeast of Watford City. Jon retired from farming in 1994 and from ranching in 2007.
 Jon was a real CB buff; he had CB’s in every piece of machinery he had! He talked to CB buddies as far away as Newfoundland, Australia, and Fort Barrows, Alaska. He loved camping, fishing, and bowling. He was a real mean dart thrower. Over the years, he and Ila traveled a lot, loving every minute of it. He was a member of the First Lutheran Church.
 He is survived by his loving wife, Ila; daughter, Jonilla (Terry) Kellogg, and son, Rocky (Sharon) Prestangen, both of Watford City. Grandchildren, Tabitha(Ted) Schuster of Great Falls Mont., Teryl Kellogg of Northfield, Minn., Tamera and friend Shane Blowers of Fargo N.D., Erik (Sarah) Prestangen of Thornton, Colo., and Elyce and Fiancé Tyler Linseth of Watford City. He has two great-grandchildren, Parker and Paige Schuster; one brother, Einar, (Sonja) Prestangen; nephews, Cory, Scott, Darrin, and Kyle Prestangen; several nieces and nephews on the Gilstad side; brother-in-law, Raymond (Linda) Gilstad; sisters-in-law, Lillian Gravos of Watford City, Eleanor Metzler and Ida Olson from Williston, Geneva Chambers of Columbia Falls, Mont., Dorothy Paddock of Stockton, Calif., and several cousins on both sides.
Jon was preceded in death by his parents.
Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home in Watford City on Thursday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and one hour before services at the church on Friday. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.fulkersons.com.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER