Arthur "Art" Fjestad

Arthur “Art” Fjestad, 91, of Fergus Falls, formerly of Carlisle, died Tuesday, May 13, 2014, at Woodland Lodge, Fergus Falls.

He was born September 14, 1922, in Fergus Falls, the son of Edward and Emma (Sletvold) Fjestad. He grew up on the family farm and attended country school. He was confirmed in Norwegian, at the Hedemarken Lutheran Church, Carlisle. Art attended high school in Fergus Falls, graduating in 1940 and following high school he attended Agricultural School in Morris.

On March 18, 1949, he married Anna Holey at Hedemarken Lutheran Church. He farmed with his brother, Otto until his death in 1974, at which time his son, Larry, joined him with the registered Holstein dairy farm, until his retirement in 1992. He and Anna moved to Fergus Falls in 2008 and most recently they moved to the Woodland Lodge in Fergus Falls.

He was a member of Hedemarken Lutheran Church, served on the church board and was treasurer for ten years, was the secretary of the board of Oscar Park Mutual Co. in Rothsay, a 4-H leader for many years and he and Anna were named the Otter Tail County Outstanding Farm Couple of 1967. Art loved farming and barbershop singing. He was a member of the Sons of Norway Choir and played the clarinet for 68 years in the Carlisle Band. They hosted an AFS Student from France in 1974-1975 and later visited his home during their travels to Norway and France.

As a child, Art spoke Norwegian until grade school. He continued to speak Norwegian throughout his life. One of his favorite sayings was “Everything I do is a work of Art”.

Preceding him in death were his parents; sisters and their husbands, Clara and Albert Glesne and Lena and Elmer Hexum, and brothers and their wives, Fred, Elmer, Morrill and Gertrude, Clifford, and Otto and Donnis.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Anna of Fergus Falls; children Arla (DeLane) Sayler of Indianapolis, IN, Larry Fjestad of Fergus Falls, Verlyn (Kathy) Fjestad of Fergus Falls, Goodwin (Judy) Fjestad of Fergus Falls and Rhonda (Carl) Watkins of Bismarck, ND; grandchildren, Andrea (Justin) Hawkins, Amy (Brandon) McClave, Derek (Melissa) Sayler, Tim (Leah) Fjestad, Melanie (Travis) Johnson, Jonell (Brian) Owen, Shane (special friend, Beth) Fjestad, and Lauren and Madelynn Watkins; great-grandchildren, Katelynn and Zachary Hawkins, Rowan and Lachlan McClave, Cayla Sayler, and Cambria, Bella and Titus Fjestad; a sister-in-law, Edna Fjestad of Fergus Falls along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation: 5-7 pm Friday with a prayer service at 6:30 pm at the funeral home and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church
Service: 1:30 pm Saturday at Hedemarken Lutheran Church, Carlisle
Clergy: Rev. Stan Satre
Interment: Hedemarken Cemetery, Carlisle
Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls