Carl Dean Feist

Velva

Carl Feist, 61, Velva, ND and Cary, NC passed away Monday, November 24, 2025 in North Carolina.

Carl Dean Feist was born October 4, 1964 in Minot, ND to Curtis and Bonnie (Helstedt) Feist. He grew up on the Feist farm near Velva and attended Velva Public School, graduating with the Class of 1983. He furthered his education attending the North Dakota State School of Science at Wahpeton and graduated in 1985 with an Associate Degree in Applied Science and Industrial Electronic and Instrumentation Technology. He also graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Moorhead State University in 1991. His work took him to various places including Albuquerque, NM, Viborg, SD, Bismarck ND, Wahpeton, ND and in 2015 he began working for his current employer, AISIN North Carolina Corp in Durham, NC as a robotic engineer. He was currently the Maintenance Engineer Assistant Manager. He enjoyed this specialty work and recently had designed a robot training system to train new employees. He had an inventive spirit and through the years had enjoyed trying his hand at creating several items he had hoped to patent.

Carl met the love of his life, Olga Sunduk, in 2003 during a visit to Sevastopol, Ukraine. He and Olga were married May 8, 2004 at Custer Park in Bismarck, ND. They moved from Bismarck to Fergus Falls, MN in 2010. Olga was not fond of the winters in the north and convinced Carl to move to North Carolina in 2013. They enjoyed life together there and recently purchased property in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Burnsville, NC and were working on improving the property with the hopes of spending time there in retirement.

Carl missed the North Dakota prairie and made a special point to come home to the farm and help at least a couple of times a year, usually Memorial Day weekend and again in the fall. He referred to these visits as his “Dude Ranch Vacations”. It was always a working vacation and often included sorting and working cattle, fixing fence, doing fieldwork, or making hay. He enjoyed coming home for mom’s cooking and to visit family.

Carl loved college football and lived for Saturdays during football season. He had multiple screens/devices going all day so he could follow as many games as possible. From September 1998 to March 1999, he took a leave from his job and traveled the United States in a 1973 Dodge Tioga camper visiting college football stadiums, tailgating and watching games. He stopped along the way to visit family members and do sightseeing. He especially enjoyed visiting many national parks and found solitude in nature.

Carl will be remembered for his strong work ethic and his infectious laughter and smile. He was a loving husband, son, brother and uncle and will be deeply missed.

Carl’s loving family includes his wife Olga, parents Curtis and Bonnie Feist, siblings: Valerie (Kevin) Heisler, Velva, Debra (Lindsay) Johnson, Dubuque, IA, Shelley Feist, Washington D.C., niece Erica (Michael) Carl, Velva and nephew Nicholas Johnson, Bettendorf, IA. He is also survived by brother-in-law Alexander Sunduk, niece Victoria Sunduk and nephew Clementi Sunduk, all from Sevastopol. His faithful and loving pups Snezhka and Zbyshek. He is also survived by several aunts and uncles as well as numerous cousins.

Carl was preceded in death by his grandparents Joe and Ruth Feist and Luella and Rudolph Helstedt; his mother and father-in-law Svetlana and Vitaliy Sunduk.

Celebration of Carl’s Life: Friday, December 5, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Valley Lutheran Church, Velva. To view a livestream of the service or to share memories and condolences access www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com

Interment: Bergen Community Cemetery, Bergen, ND

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the start of the service in the church.

Memorials are preferred to an organization of the donor’s choice.

Thomas Family Funeral Home of Minot is trusted with arrangements.

Published by The Minot Daily News, December 2, 2025.