Robert J. O'Shea

Robert J. O’Shea, 91, of Turtle Lake, North Dakota died December 23, 2017 at the CHI St. Alexius Community Memorial Hospital in Turtle Lake, ND. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 AM Thursday, December 28, 2017 at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Turtle Lake, ND with Fr. Patrick Cunningham as celebrant. Interment will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND with military rites provided by the Mandan VFW and American Legion and the North Dakota National Guard Honor Team. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Wednesday at St. Catherine’s Church with a Rosary/Vigil service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Thursday.Robert J. O’Shea was born June 10, 1926 in Blackwater Township near Garrison, ND the son of Joseph and Alvera (Klinkhammer) O’Shea. He attended country school through the eighth grade. He served in the US Navy on the USS Croaton during World War II. He honorably served from 1945 until being discharged in 1946. Robert married Florence Narum on May 15, 1947 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this last May. They farmed near Douglas and Emmet, ND before moving to their current farm East of Turtle Lake in 1962 where they raised their family and farmed. He retired from farming in 2002. During his retirement Robert enjoyed driving truck for Foltz Trucking.He was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church and served on the Mercer School Board during the merger of the Turtle Lake and Mercer schools. Robert served in the North Dakota State House of Representatives for several terms and was also District Commander for the North Dakota American Legion 5th District. He was a supervisor of the South McLean County Soil Conservation and always practiced good stewardship of the land. Robert was a member of the OK Band with his brother John and Ervin, Evelyn and Wade Kolden.Robert is survived by his wife Florence of McClusky, ND; his daughter, Kim (Dennis) Kurle of Mercer, ND; his sons, Darrel (Zona) O’Shea of Turtle Lake, Jerry (Linda) O’Shea of Bismarck, ND, Laurie (Joy) O’Shea of Dassel, MN; his grandchildren, Dawn (Warren) Bergquist, Brian (Amber) O’Shea, Dusty (Todd) Sondrol, Chelsey (Matthew) Best, Trevor O’Shea, Patrick (Lovely) O’Shea, Tom (Jenny) O’Shea, Meghan (Graham) McMannamin, Anne (Brent) Earsley, Casey (Michelle) Kurle; 23 Great Grandchildren and one due in March of 2018; his brother, Daniel (Bev) O’Shea of Grand Forks, ND; his sisters, Ellie Odom of Georgia, Bea Rodgers of Minot, ND and his sisters-in-law, Ella O’Shea of Bismarck and Hazel O’Shea of Garrison and many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Mary (Damon) Doble and his brothers George (Betty) O’Shea, Joe (Alice) O’Shea, Dennis O’Shea and John O’Shea.