Michael Sitter

passed away peacefully in

his sleep Thursday even-

ing, November 14, 2019,

in his Granville home

from congestive heart

failure and lung cancer.

Three of his four children

and a granddaughter were

able to be in attendance.

Mike was born on

February 11, 1920, the

fourth of eight children to

Nicholas and Helena

Burckhard) Sitter in

Berwick, Pierce County,

North Dakota. He mar-

ried Alice Lueck on May

17, 1946, in Glendive,

MT. Throughout the

years, Mike worked vari-

ous jobs and called him-

self a “Jack of all Trades,

Master of None.” He

farmed with his parents

until he bought his own

farm East of Granville in

1949 where he and Alice

raised their five children.

Mike worked as a car-

penter and then transi-

tioned to a steel worker

where he helped build the

former Midwest Federal

Building on First Street in

Minot, ND. He also

worked for Massy Fergu-

son along with his oldest

son, Gailen. When work-

ing at International Har-

vester of Minot, he shat-

tered his elbow while

loading equipment on a

train flatbed. Then he

spent a few years driving

a taxi while his arm was

impaired. In September

of 1970 Mike and Alice

and their two youngest

children moved into town

so Mike could work as a

custodian at Granville

Public School. Later he

would work at Lockheed

and St. Joseph Hospital in

Minot, and the Rugby

Hospital. While working

at Lockheed, he was affec-

tionally known as “5:00

Mike,” due to the fact that

at quitting time, when he

would get paid, he would

dash over to Muus

Lumber, before they

closed, to pick up sup-

plies for the house he and

his wife, Alice, were

building in Granville.

They built the house as

they could pay for it, and

when completed it was

COMPLETELY paid for. In

1975 Mike added to his

workload as Mayor of

Granville and was instru-

mental in getting the main

streets paved.

Mike was a member of

the Granville First Luth-

eran Church but attended

services at Hope Congre-

gational Church if the ser-

vice was earlier than the

Lutheran Church so he

and friends could head

over to Deering for lunch.

Neighbors and relatives

would look forward to the

sausages Mike would

make when butchering.

He had great rhythm and

enjoyed jamming with

friends and even played

spoons with his brother

Danny’s band, “The Mis-

fits,” when he was in Min-

neapolis. Later, he would

trade in his spoons for

cow bones. He liked fish-

ing, creating wood items

and helping neighbors

and friends. Mostly, he

loved to dance, being a

member of the Northwest

Polkateers, he never

lacked a partner. He also

enjoyed playing cards;

most recently he could be

found at the Senior Ci-

tizen Center in Granville,

ND, in the afternoons

playing pinochle. He was

also a lifetime member of

the Minot Moose Lodge.

Mike is survived by:

four of his children: son

Larry (Patricia) Sitter of

Rolla, ND; daughters

Gloria (Ken) Kraft of

Bismarck, ND, Lona Hat-

field of Lee’s Summit,

MO, and Sharon Sitter of

Glenburn, ND; 12

grandchildren: Kip Kraft

of Bismarck, ND, Lisa

(Al) DeWall of Bismarck,

ND, LeAnn (Leonard) Bor-

nemann of Center, ND,

Lorisa (Terry) Newman of

Beulah, ND, Lynelle Kraft

of Bismarck, ND, Kyle

(Alexa) Kraft of Fargo,

ND, June Sitter of Denver,

CO, Tela Mollohan of Ma-

con, GA, CJ Sitter of

Grand Forks, ND, Sean

(Alexandria) Hatfield of

Raytown, MO, Caleb Hat-

field of Lee’s Summit,

MO, Travis (Bangba)

Sitter of Omaha, NE;

Great-grandchildren:

Benjamin Schestler of

Minot, ND, McKenzie

DeWall of Bismarck, ND,

Mara Bornemann of Far-

go, ND, Aubrey Bor-

nemann and Evan Bor-

nemann of Center, ND,

Kael Newman, Nora New-

man, Paige Newman &

Brynn Newman of Beulah,

ND, Cheyenne (Jared) Rar-

din of Emerado, ND,

Lakota Mollohan and Stet-

son Mollohan of Daven-

port, ND, Mandy Sitter

and Ethan Sitter of

Omaha ND; sister-in-law

Magdalena Sitter of Rug-

by; Special Friends; Rose

Bailey, Delano Drader,

Clarine Pottenger, and

numerous nieces and

nephews.

Mike was preceded in

death by: his parents:

Nick and Helen Sitter;

wife Alice; son Gailen

Sitter;

great-grandchildren: Isa-

bella Newman and a si-

bling lost to miscarriage;

brothers and

sisters-in-law: Joseph

(Rae) Sitter, Anton Sitter

and Daniel Sitter; sisters

and brothers-in-law: Mar-

tina (George) Lesmeister,

Rose (Maurice) Trumm,

Theresa (Sylvester)

Gefroh and Marian Ni-

chols.

Visitation: 4 pm – 6 pm

Monday at

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home (21 Third Ave

SW) Minot, ND

Funeral: Tuesday, No-

vember 19, 2019 at 2 pm

First Lutheran Church

(101 Third Street) of

Granville, ND

Internment: Granville

Cemetery

Those wishing to sign

the online register and

share memories may ac-

cess the online obituaries

section at

thompsonlarson.com