Andrew Thurston

Aug. 24, 1941-Oct. 6, 2025

Minot

Andrew Gustaf Thurston, 84, of Minot, North Dakota, died Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Fargo, North Dakota.

He was born on Aug. 24, 1941, in Sisseton, South Dakota. He was raised there and graduated from Sisseton High School in 1959. Andy was raised on a dairy farm — which he said was his primary motivation to go to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, in 1963. He also served in the national guard in his early adulthood.

One of his first jobs out of college, Andy was an engineer for the North Dakota Highway Department. He made key contributions in bringing Interstate 94 through Medora and the Badlands in southwest North Dakota. Andy later worked at Minot Paving in North Dakota. In 1974, as the company was being bought out, he along with his colleagues started their own company — Bechtold Paving. He was a co-owner and engineer until the company was sold in 2002.

Andy’s enthusiasm for work and automobiles was often interwoven with his love for family. In April 1974, he met Jeanette (Bennett) Thurston. They were married for 41 years and raised two sons, Jeff and Craig, before Jan died in 2015.

Andy’s love of cars consistently invoked a high level of excitement out of him, but he became even more invested in that passion in the early 2000s when he founded Dakota Classics. This new business, and adventure for that matter, gave him an avenue to restore classic cars as well as buy and sell classic car parts.

Andy was also a member of the Magic City Antique Car Club. “People are very happy to see the vehicles that they grew up with,” Andy told the Minot Daily News in 2016. “You don’t see these vehicles on the streets very much and it’s refreshing to see everyone looking at them again.”

Also in 2016, he married Elaine (Forland) Hofer-Thurston. They shared countless happy memories together, including spending winters in Mesa, Arizona, where they made even more friends.

Andy and Elaine moved from Minot to Touchmark in Bismarck in 2023 and relished their time together before Elaine died in September 2025.

Andy had a quiet but strong personality. Through his decades of work to ensure his family would be supported for generations, he treasured the small moments like playing Pinochle with his grandchildren or drinking coffee with his friends just as much. He was unendingly generous and never wavered in his willingness to help anyone who needed it, as evidenced by the loving family he leaves behind.

Andy is survived by sons Jeff (Deb) Pool and Craig (Marcia) Pool; his grandchildren, Colton (Meaghan) Pool, Alex (Ashley) Pool, Max (Crystal) Pool, Tyler (Charleen) Pool, Justin (Jennifer) Pool, and Jennifer (Jason) Brandt; his great-grandchildren, Eban, Liam, Emerson, Madisyn, McKenna, and Lennix; his great-great-grandchild Mateo; his stepdaughter Kim (Bill) Erdmann; his stepson Kory (CoCo) Hofer; his sisters-in-law Joyce Thurston, Joanne Rauh, Judy (Curt) Miller, Janet (Hank) Whittet, and Shirley Miller; and his brother-in-law Les (Wendy) Forland. He is also survived and remembered by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Andy is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Alpha Thurston, and siblings Allan “Big Al” Thurston, Marcy Aas, Wayne Cooper, and Lucille George.

Celebration of Life for Andy Thurston: 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at the Thomas Family Funeral Home Chapel in Minot. To view a recording of the service or share memories and condolences access www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com

A reception following our service will be held at Coterie Minot – 1407 S Broadway, Suite B (Enter through Pizza Hut door).

Memorials are preferred to Ward County Historical Society.

Published by The Minot Daily News, October 15, 2025.