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Harlis Sem

July 22, 1931-April 16, 2021

Harlis A “Bud” Sem, 89,

of Powers Lake, passed

away on Friday, April 16,

2021 at the Tioga Medical

Center in Tioga, ND.

Springan Stevenson Fun-

eral Home of Stanley has

been entrusted with ar-

rangements and services.

Friends may sign the

on-line register and give

their condolences at

www.springanstevenson.com.

Harlis’s Funeral Ser-

vice will be held at 11:00

AM on Saturday, April 24,

2021 at the Bethel Baptist

Church in Powers Lake,

ND. Burial will be in

Bethel Baptist Cemetery

in Powers Lake, ND. A

luncheon will follow the

burial at the Church. Visi-

tation will be held an

hour prior to services at

the Church.

Springan Stevenson

Funeral Home of Stanley

has been entrusted with

arrangements and ser-

vices. Friends may sign

the on-line register and

give their condolences at

www.springansteven

son.com.

The Funeral Service

will be broadcast, you can

view Harlis’s service

directly on his obituary

page on our website

www.springansteven

son.com.

Due to Covid 19, we ask

that everyone adheres to

local and state require-

ments for social distanc-

ing. Harlis Sem was born

July 22, 1931 at home in

Mountrail County near

Powers Lake, North Dako-

ta. Harlis was the third of

four children. He was the

third generation to live

and farm South of Powers

Lake.

Harlis married Dagney

Enget on October 25th,

1951 in a double wedding

with brother Phalen and

Dagney’s sister Darlene.

Harlis worked in the Tio-

ga oil field until the unex-

pected death of his father,

William in 1961. He took

over the family farm. In

1965, a hail storm took his

crop. He moved his family

to Powers Lake and ran

the local restaurant for

one year while continuing

to farm and milk cows. He

loved the farm life. He

would say he liked buying

angus heifers more than

buying a new car. In 1978

he sold his milking cows

and worked in Prudhoe

Bay, Alaska with his

brother, Phalen for 6

years. In 1984, he bought

milk cows back and con-

tinued to milk for a few

more years. In 1986, he

sold the milk cows once

again. Focusing on farm-

ing and raising angus cat-

tle.

He enjoyed hunting and

fishing with his many

friends. Fishing in Canada

was always a highlight.

Harlis retired on his

80th birthday, selling his

angus cows and buying a

winter home in Apache

Junction, AZ where he en-

joyed the warmer weather

with friends.

He is survived by sons,

Scott (Tami) Sem, Am-

brose, ND; Claude (Pati)

Sem, Minot, ND; and Sta-

cey (Brenda) Sem,

Thompson, ND and

daughter, Sandy (Donny)

Leiseth, Williston, ND.

Eleven grandchildren,

William (Bill) Sem, Tanya

Hill, Trisha Werre, Katie

Peterson, Kimberly Keller,

Kelli Sem, Chelsie Black,

Evan Johnson, Megan

Aichele, Kaitlyn Ratchen-

ski and Joshua Sem. Six-

teen great-grandchildren

along with a number of

nieces and nephews.

Harlis was preceded in

death by his wife, Dag-

ney; parents, William and

Ruth; brothers, Allen and

Phalen and sister, Caro-

line Hermanson.