Kenneth E Chase

Kenneth Ernest Chase, 91, Bismarck, North Dakota, cherished husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, entered into eternal life on November 8, 2014, while at CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 14, at Zion Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Thomas Marcis Jr. officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, November 13, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Kenneth was born December 10, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Ralph and Murrill Stetson Chase. Kenneth moved with his family to Hazen, North Dakota, and graduated from Hazen High School in 1940. He attended North Dakota State University where he studied engineering before enlisting in the US Army Air Corp in 1942. He was stationed in Victoria, Texas, at Foster Air Force Base, a flying training airfield during World War II, where he was a pilot instructor until the end of the war. On March 29, 1945, he married Geraldine Bohrer in Victoria, Texas. At the end of the war, the couple moved to Hazen where Kenneth worked with his father at Chase Construction Company until 1960. He was a meticulous bricklayer and cement finisher, loved to bid on projects, and built two homes for his family. He then owned and operated Knife River Ready Mix in Hazen until 1964, when the couple moved with their six children to Bismarck. Kenneth owned Western Ready Mix in Mandan until 1967, after which he went to work for William Clairmont Construction Company as a concrete supervisor. He worked for William Clairmont until his retirement in 1988, and then enjoyed spending winters in Apache Junction, Arizona. After Geraldine's death in 2002, Kenneth married Shirley Solberg Aarthun on November 12, 2005 in Riverton, Wyoming. He and Shirley were snowbirds to Sun City, Arizona through the spring of 2014 when they decided to permanently reside in Bismarck to be near family. Kenneth was a long-time member of Zion Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and his faith in Christ Jesus was foremost in his life. He also loved to golf, dance, sing, listen to music, read, and spend time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He always had a passion for flying and for airplanes, especially those flown during World War II. He took immaculate care of his home and his vehicles, and loved to tinker around the yard and garage. Kenneth had an amazing memory and enjoyed telling stories about his childhood, his time in the Air Force, his friends and family from Hazen, and the coworkers he had over the years. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; one son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Bonnie Chase of Bismarck; five daughters and four sons-in-law, Priscilla and Raymond Schwarz of Minot, Melanie and Doug Sims of Riverton, Wyoming, Susan Devine of Bismarck, Cynthia and Christian Preus of Plymouth, Minnesota, and Kaaren and Robert White of Elephant Butte, New Mexico; two step-daughters and sons-in-law, Kristine and Robert Solberg of Houston, Texas and Karyn and Tim Ervin of Riverton, Wyoming; 15 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mildred Richter of Steele; one sister-in-law, Delores Chase of Hazen; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Geraldine, his parents, three brothers, Earl, Ralph Jr. Bob, and Jerald, two sisters-in-law, Anne Stern Chase and Bette Henne Chase, and one brother-in-law, Elmer Richter.

Kenneth E Chase

December 10, 1922 - November 8, 2014