Richard D. Adahl

Richard “Rich” Dale Adahl, 76, of Churchs Ferry, ND passed away early Saturday morning, May 11, 2019 at CHI, St. Alexius Health, Devils Lake Hospital.

A celebration of Life service for Richard will be held on Monday, May 20, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the River of Life, Assembly of God Church, Devils Lake with Reverend Kevin Anderson officiating. Burial will be in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery, rural Devils Lake with Military Honors accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team-Army.

Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and will continue on Monday at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.

Richard, the son of Clarence and Beatrice (Bryn) Adahl was born on November 9, 1942 in Devils Lake, ND. He was baptized at Chain Lake Lutheran Church, rural Churchs Ferry.  He was raised on the family farm and attended the DeGroat and Dry Lake Country Schools grades 1 through 8.  Many holidays were celebrated at grandparents Betsey and Albert Bryn farm, with all of the cousins. 

Richard was a 4-H member. He played second base for the Churchs Ferry-Penn Babe Ruth baseball team when they were State Champions.  Richard attended Devils Lake High School, was a member of Future Farmers of America and graduated in 1960.  He graduated from Lake Region State College and attended North Dakota State University.

Richard enlisted in the North Dakota Army National Guard and completed basic training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri.

Richard enjoyed working with cattle. With his cousins and friends he attended National Livestock Association Conventions in Denver and learned to ski in the Colorado Mountains.  He studied cattle blood lines and genetics with his son Bennet to develop his herd of registered Black Angus cattle.  He looked forward to sales day at the Lake Region Livestock, Devils Lake.

Richard married Sonja Nesheim on June 23, 1979, at Red Willow Bible Camp Chapel, Binford, ND. Together with their children, they rode horseback in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Medora, ND; visited the Calgary Stampede and Calgary Zoo, the Winnipeg Zoo, Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

Richard became a born-again Christian on January 21, 1997. In the fall of 1998, he was baptized in the Holy Spirit.  This led him to write “The Manifest”, a study manual of the Bible, of what profoundly affected him the most.

Richard started driving tractor at 6 years of age and in 1979 bought the family farms from his parents, aunts, and uncles. He and his family treasure being at the farm which he called “Rainbow Ranch” and are grateful for his devoted care of the land and the legacy of caring for God’s creation.

Richard is survived by his loving family, his wife of thirty-nine years, Sonja; son, Bennet (Casaundra) Adahl of Minot and their children Abriana, Isabella, Adalyn, FinnLee and Eliza; daughters Joni and Jennifer of Churchs Ferry, ND; brother Arthur Adahl, Renton, WA and his children Michael and Deborah; brother Robert (Arlene) Adahl, Devils Lake, and their children Kyle (Valerie) Adahl, Lisa (Craig) Branby and their children Landen and Olivia; sister Carol (Duane) Rieger and their son Bill (Nicole) Rieger and his son Christian (Rebecca) Rieger and their daughter Taylor; sister-in-law Tessa Nesheim, brothers-in-law Ed C. (Jill) Nesheim and Eric Nesheim and nieces, nephews, cousins and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Beatrice (Bryn) Adahl; sister-in-law Angie Adahl and niece Sandra Adahl.

Richard’s quote, “Blood of Jesus over you.”