Allen R. Hartje

Allen R. Hartje, age 76 of Glasston, ND passed away in his home near Glasston. Allen Richard Hartje was born in Grafton, ND, February 24, 1933, to Henry W. and Ada C. (Pappenfuss) Hartje. He was the fifth son, twelfth child of fifteen. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church rural St. Thomas, ND. He attended elementary school in Glasston, ND, then graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1951. He played basketball and was a captain of the football team there, and he played trombone in what came to be called The Ambassador's Band, St. Thomas' high school band that travelled to Bismarck to welcome Ambassador Tom Whelan, a St. Thomas native, back home from his duties in Nicaragua. Mr. Hartje married Alice Robinson of rural St. Thomas, September 3, 1953, in Grand Forks, ND. She died December 27, 1994. Their children and grandchildren survive them. Mr. Hartje farmed with his brothers for several years, and then with his sons while they lived at home. He was an expert welder and mechanic. He built his family's home using lumber from old Fort Pembina. Of course he had help from family and friends. He was very proud of the fact that he had lived his whole life in the same place. He loved to fish and hunt and play cards, and he made lots of trips with family and friends to enjoy his hobbies... and his friends and family. He and his sons set up a butcher house that became a real meeting place for family and friends. They cut lots of meat, made excellent sausage, and told lots of stories. Allen considered himself a "steward." He felt his job was to take good care of whatever people, fields, animals, or machines were put into his care. He pushed and blew snow for many of the family's neighbors and friends, especially those who were elderly, ill, or had no close by family, and he always made sure the churchyard was "in good shape." He is survived by his children and their spouses: Teresa Perrault, Mahnomen, MN; Mark (Mary), Fargo, ND; Steven, St. Thomas; Dawn (Paul) Twenge, Excelsior, MN; David, St. Thomas; Thomas (Wendy), Grafton, ND; Paul (Shiela), Tyler, MN. His fourteen dearly loved and teased grandchildren are Brian Hartje, Fort Bragg, NC; Toni (Andy) Votava, Hoople, ND; Edward Perrault, Mahnomen, MN; Katie Hartje, Sioux Falls, SD; Andrea (Jess Kadrmas) Hartje, Grand Forks, ND; Patrick Hartje, St. Thomas, ND; Nicole (Nic Burns) Hartje, Grafton, ND; Jennifer Hartje, Grand Forks, ND; Alyson Twenge, Brookings, SD; Zachariah, Elijah, and Gabriel Hartje, all Tyler, MN; and Alexander and Axel Twenge, Excelsior, MN. There are seven great grandchildren. His sisters are Myrtle Anderson, Fargo, ND; Ruth Dhondt, Corona, CA; Marlene Murtonen, Alexandria, MN. His brother Harris (Betty) lives in Havasu City, AZ. Sisters-in-law include Bernice Hartje, Cavalier, ND; Yvonne Dybdahl, Detroit Lakes, MN; Jeanne Nelson, St. Thomas, ND; Hazel Robertson, Redmond, OR ; Joan Ledbury, Grafton, ND and two brothers-in-law, Joseph (Betty) Robinson and Duane Green, St. Thomas, ND. He was preceded in death by his wife, their newborn daughter Leah Irene, son-in-law John Perrault; parents; sisters, Louise (Tooty) Dusterhoft, Irene McKechney, Dorothy Busch, Violet Warner, Mildred Hartje; brothers, Lorin (Buddy), Clifford, Orville, Russell, and Henry Leo (Junior), and his best friends Brian Unke, Stanley Briese, and Wayne Spangelo. Memorial services will be Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 10:30 A.M. at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church of rural St. Thomas. Visitation will be Monday from 5-7 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton. Friends may also call at the church on Tuesday for one hour prior to the service.