Archie Kress

Archie Kress, 89, Minot

and formerly of Kenmare

and the Williston area

died on Sunday, January

5, 2020 at his home fol-

lowing a three year jour-

ney with various health

issues. His loving family

was at his side.

Archie Robert Kress

was born on November

19, 1930 on the family

farm near Fortuna, ND.

He was the youngest of

twelve children of George

and Maria (McMaster)

Kress. He was raised on

the family farm and in

Ambrose, attended rural

schools, graduated from

Ambrose High School in

1948 and attended Minot

State College.

Archie married Elaine

Scarr on September 30,

1950 in Alamo, ND. They

made their home in Selz,

ND where he was em-

ployed as the Great North-

ern Railroad (GNRR)

Depot Agent/Telegrapher.

The GNRR transferred

him to Wheelock, Epping

and Arnegard. He became

an agent for the Farmers

Insurance Group in 1960

and was later promoted to

District Manager of

northwest North Dakota

and served in that capa-

city until 1985. During

this time the family resid-

ed in Williston for two

years prior to moving to

Minot in 1965. Archie and

Elaine purchased the San

Way Ve Motel- Kenmare

in 1976 and owned and

operated the motel until

1990. He retired in 1990.

Most recently, he had

been residing at Somerset

Court for the past 2.5

years.

Archie was a longtime

and active member of the

Bethany Lutheran Church

where he served on the

Church Council and

helped with the Fairstand,

Rhubarb Fest and Hostfest

Booth. He was a former

member of Lutheran

Churches in Epping and

Arnegard where he served

on the church councils,

and Gloria Dei Lutheran

Church- Williston where

he was a Sunday School

teacher. He was President

and an active member of

the Minot Curling Club

and a former member of

Elks Lodge and Eagles

Aerie in Minot. Also, he

was proud to have started

the annual Goosefest in

Kenmare and was elected

to the North Dakota Snow

Goose Hall of Fame for his

efforts. He established the

Boy Scout program in Ep-

ping and was a Trinity

Hospital and Hospice

volunteer. He especially

enjoyed hunting, fishing,

golfing, curling and bowl-

ing and was responsible

for introducing the

Bethany congregation and

others to rhubarb chili

and pizza, Minnetonka

Baked Beans as well as

rhubarb flutes.

Archie’s loving family

includes his wife of 69

years Elaine; children:

Peggy (Rocky) Hager of

Marlton NJ, Patty (Robbie)

Robertson of Velva, Penny

(Bill) Gluck of Cary NC

and Perry (Mary) Kress of

Bismarck; grandchildren:

Joshua (Krystal) Hager,

Tiffanee (Tom) McCarney,

Rebecca (Elliott) Wiley,

Beth (Steve) Denzine,

Kate Robertson (Brian

Matson), Jessica Gluck,

Molly (Bruce) Clark and

Logan Kress; great

grandchildren: Monica,

Soleil, Tenley, Kaylee,

Eleanor, Hilton, Carolyn,

Stella and Robbie; si-

blings: Delila Scheff of

Billings MT, Leonard (Bet-

ty) Kress of Walla Walla

WA and Russell (Donna)

Kress of Minot and

numerous nieces,

nephews and cousins.

Archie was preceded in

death by his parents, sis-

ters: Lillian Stubbe, Myr-

tle Eriksmoen, Pearl

Lunde and Esther

Storhaug and brothers:

Harvey, Daniel, James and

Royal Kress.

Celebration of the Life

of Archie Kress: Friday,

January 10, 2020 at 11:00

a.m. in Bethany Lutheran

Church – Minot.

Interment: Rosehill

Memorial Park – Minot.

Visitation: Thursday

from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00

p.m. in Bethany Lutheran

Church with a family ser-

vice at 5:00 p.m.

Memorials are pre-

ferred to the Bethany

Foundation, Bethany Min-

istry of Care or to the

donor’s choice.

Memories and con-

dolences may be shared at

www.thomasfamilyfunera

lhome.com.