Dale Opdahl

Dale Opdahl, 84, Minot,

died Tuesday, October 13,

2020 in his home.

Dale Maurice Opdahl

was born on March 3,

1936 to Oscar and Lois

(Bykonen) Opdahl. He

was the oldest of three

children. Dale married

Mari Louise (Skip) Olsen,

whom he affectionately

called “Sweetie”, on

March 12, 1965. Together

they made their home on

the family farm, where

they raised their two

“favorite” daughters,

Cheryl and Veronica,

whom he lovingly nick-

named Prudi. Skip always

kept him well fed with

her home cooking, where

he would holler out after-

wards, “My complaints to

the chef!”, followed by a

belch.

He was a hard worker,

always keeping busy, and

was a man who proudly

loved the United States.

He joined the service, and

“served in the war” driv-

ing jeep, in 1960. After

leaving the service in

1962, he started his

twenty-five-year oil field

career at the Tioga Gas

Plant and spent the

remaining 9 years em-

ployed at Western Gas,

until he took his early re-

tirement in 1996. Dale

welcomed the “sons he

never had” into the family

in 1990 and 1999, where

he quickly taught them

the motto he instilled in

his girls all his life,

“what’s mine is mine, and

what’s yours is mine

also.”

In 2000 Dale and Skip

made their home in

Minot, so he could come

pick up his grand-

daughter, Ciarra from

school when Cheryl

would forget about her.

He enjoyed his retirement

in his chair, where he

would continue to watch

old western reruns, and

would belly laugh to

“Married with Children”

and “Dumb and Dumber”

no matter how many

times he had seen them. It

is said, there was never a

remote control that didn’t

fit his hand.

Dale liked things “just

so”, everything was in its

place adjusted to him, so

he would always be com-

fortable. Especially with

his chair. No one dared sit

in that chair. He enjoyed

spending time with his

family whether they were

coming over for supper

and a visit, or if they were

there to play a game of

Tri-Ominos. He would

only play as long as they

let him win. While he

loved his family dearly,

he was NOT a hugger.

When his

“grandson”-in-law, Calby

came into the family, he

quickly learned after a

goodbye hug attempt, that

a handshake would be

“just fine.”

He enjoyed cars, wheth-

er he was buying them,

trading them, or admiring

them, and you would al-

ways find George, Waylon

or Willie tuned in on the

radio. There must have

been a little redneck in-

side him, as he was a vo-

cal Trump supporter. He

was eagerly awaiting elec-

tion day to make sure

Trump stayed in office.

Dale was preceded in

death by: his father and

mother, Oscar and Lois

Opdahl; sister, Chloe

Hart; brother, Lyle Op-

dahl, and great-nephew,

Trevor Hart.

He is survived by: his

loving wife of 55 years,

Skip Opdahl; daughters,

Cheryl (Steve) Jorgenson,

Minot, ND; Prudi (Wes)

Frisco, Minot, ND; grand-

daughter, Ciarra (Calby)

Beckstrand, Fargo, ND;

two great-granddaughters,

Marlee Grace and Norah

Kate Beckstrand, Fargo,

ND; grand dogs, “Pretty

Baby” and “The Worthless

Hounds”; sister-in-law,

LeeAnn Opdahl,

Battleview, ND; many

nieces, and great-nieces

and nephews.

Visitation will be held

at Thomas Funeral Home

in Minot on Friday, Oc-

tober 16th, 2020 from 1:00

p.m. to 2:00 p.m. With a

Celebration of Life Ser-

vice to follow at 2:00 p.m.

Pastor Dave Wisthoff will

officiate.

Dale’s Graveside Ser-

vice will be held at 2:00

p.m. on Saturday, October

17th, 2020 at the Bethel

Lutheran Cemetery in

Battleview, ND.

Due to COVID-19, we

ask that everyone adheres

to local and state require-

ments for social distanc-

ing.

Memorials are preferred

to Bethel Lutheran

Cemetery Fund,

Battleview.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com.