Dr. Russell Odegard

Dr. Russell Odegard, 96,

longtime Minot physician,

died Saturday, December

1, 2018, in a Minot health-

care facility.

Russell was born on

January 12, 1922 in

Hamar, ND to Ruppert

and Anne (McArthur)

Odegard. He received his

elementary education in a

country school setting

near Hamar and complet-

ed his high school educa-

tion as a graduate of the

Hamar High School in

1939. Russell continued

his education at North

Dakota State University in

Fargo, where he earned a

degree in mechanical en-

gineering in 1943. Russell

moved to East Pittsburgh,

PA and was employed at

Westinghouse, Inc.

Russell married Harriet

Thompson on July 29,

1944 in Pittsburgh. They

remained in Pennsylvania

until 1945 and then

moved to Fargo, ND.

Russell was employed as

a foreman for the ND

Department of Transpor-

tation and also taught en-

gineering classes at NDSU

in 1947.

The family moved to

Velva in 1947 when he es-

tablished Odegard Elec-

tric. He operated that

business until returning

to school at NDSU in 1953

for his pre-med classes.

Dr. Odegard attended the

University of North Dako-

ta from 1955-57 and

earned his medical degree

from the University of

Kansas in 1959. He com-

pleted his internship at

the St. John’s Hospital in

Fargo.

After completing his in-

ternship in Fargo, Dr.

Odegard moved to Hatton,

ND and established a

medical practice that he

operated from 1960-63.

He moved to Minot in

1963 and joined Dr. De-

vine, at Great Plains Clin-

ic in Minot, from 1963-67.

He practiced medicine at

the Medical Arts Clinic

from January of 1968 until

his retirement in July of

1987. Harriet died on

February 16, 2002.

Dr. Odegard was a

member of Christ Luth-

eran Church and former

member of Bethany Luth-

eran Church both in

Minot. He was the 3rd

District Republicans

Chairman for eight years

and was Chairman of the

Citizens NonPartisan

Coalition (CNPC) in 1989.

He was a member of the

Moose Lodge and a former

member of the Eagles

Aerie and Elks Lodge, all

of Minot. Dr. Odegard was

a member of the Ameri-

can Medical Association,

3rd District Medical So-

ciety and the ND Medical

Association serving on its

council for six years. He

was Chief of Staff at St.

Joseph’s Hospital for two

years and served on the

Board of Directors of Blue

Shield for 9 years. He

served as Chairman of the

Protect Our Privacy Group

in 2001, was Chairman of

the Utilization Review

Committee and was a Past

President of the ND Bowl-

ing Association.

Dr. Odegard’s hobbies

included bowling, playing

cards, and politics. One of

his favorite things to do

was to visit with people –

those he knew and those

he wanted to get to know.

His favorite times were

those spent with his

grandchildren.

Dr. Odegard is survived

by his children: Diana

Staskywicz of Burlington,

Patricia (David) Fedje, of

Fargo, Richard (Diane)

Odegard of Grand Forks,

Michael Odegard of Minot

and Mary Eriksmoen of

Bismarck; daughter-in-

law, Gail Odegard of Al-

buquerque; thirteen

grandchildren; thirty

great-grandchildren; two

great-great-grandchildren;

brother: Glenn (Mary El-

len) Odegard of Tucson

and numerous nieces and

nephews.

Dr. Odegard was pre-

ceded in death by his

parents, wife: Harriet,

son: William, son-in-law:

John Staskywicz, grand-

sons: Aaron Odegard and

Paul Staskywicz and

brothers: Wayne, Darold

and Neal Odegard.

Celebration of the Life

of Dr. Russell Odegard

will be on Friday, De-

cember 7, 2018 at 11:00

a.m. in Christ Lutheran

Church – Minot.

Interment will be at

Rosehill Memorial Park at

a later date.

Visitation will be held

on Thursday from 3:00

p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the

Thomas Family Funeral

Home, Minot.

Memorials are preferred

to Trinity Hospice.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com.