Brad Birkholz

Bradley S. Birkholz, 35, Gold Canyon, AZ, died Sunday, November 12, 2006, as a result of a motorcycle accident. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, November 17, 2006 at Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck with Rev. Wes Aardahl officiating. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm Thursday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery, Mandan. Brad was born on October 16, 1971 in Bismarck, ND, to Diane Beglau and John Birkholz. He attended grade school at Rita Murphy Elementary School and graduated from Bismarck High School. After high school he went on to Bismarck State College for two years before joining the Air Force. He spent eight years in the Air Force flying on the AWACS plane while stationed in Oklahoma City and Japan. After leaving the Air Force he moved to Phoenix, AZ, to be close to his brother. He graduated from Gilbert College in Arizona. At the time of his death, Brad was working at EF Data Corp. and attending flight training. He was three months away from getting his commercial pilot's license. Being a pilot was his life long dream. When Brad was a child his room always had planes hanging from the ceiling. Brad had a personality that lit the room when he walked in. A person instantly liked him from the first meeting. Always smiling, he made many friends who remained close. Brad enjoyed all sorts of music, he enjoyed collecting memorabilia, and motorcycle riding with his friends. He is missed by those he leaves behind. His mother and father; one brother, Steve and sister-in-law, Laura of Gilbert, AZ; his grandmother, Rebecca Beglau; his aunts and uncles, Judy and Jim Walker, Linda and Dennis Delzer, LuElla and Marvin Birkholz, Kathy and Gordon Birkholz, and Elda Bigelow all of Bismarck, ND, Janet Froehlick of Sacramento, CA, Florence and Bill Bullinger, Carol and Joe Ciavarella of Mandan, ND, Marilyn and Richard Birkholz of Fargo, ND, Shirley and John Fite of Obion, TN, Wayne Birkholz of Rockford, IL, Gary Birkholz of Littleton, CO, Jim Birkholz of Scottsdale, AZ; and many cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Rose Birkholz; his grandfathers, Herbert Beglau and Art Birkholz; his uncle, Roger Birkholz; and his aunt, Nora Rohrich.

Brad Birkholz

October 16, 1971 - November 12, 2006