Fred F. Heer

Fred F. Heer, 77, Bismarck, died October 20, 2010, in a Bismarck Hospital as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage. Services will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, October 23, 2010, at St. George's Episcopal Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Michael Horn officiating. Burial will be held at 8:45 am Friday, October 22, 2010, at the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery, Mandan. Fred Franklin Heer was born in a Bismarck Hospital on May 6, 1933, the son of Fred and Rose Goehring Heer. He was raised on the family farm west of Temvik, ND. He graduated from Linton High School in 1951 and farmed for a period of time with his father. He was drafted into the Korean War. Upon return from his tour of duty in the US Army, he attended Bismarck Junior College. Later, he transferred to Montana State College in Bozeman, MT, where he received a BS in biology. On April 10, 1962, he married Madeline Massa at St. John's Episcopal Church in Townsend, MT. He immediately began employment with the United States Public Health Service in Los Angeles County, CA. In 1964, he was transferred to New Orleans, LA, and served there until being transferred to Bismarck, ND, in 1965 as a federal employee assigned to the North Dakota Health Department. He worked as a VD investigator until 1975 when he resigned from the US Public Health Service and began employment with the ND State Department of Health. He continued working for the ND State Department of Health in the Communicable Disease Division as director of the TB program. He completed his twenty-four years of public health service as Director of the Communicable Disease division. He retired in 1998. Fred was a passionate outdoorsman. From the time of his youth he loved hunting and fishing. In fact, on the Saturday and Sunday before the brain hemorrhage, he bagged his limit while pheasant hunting. He was looking forward to hunting elk in Montana this coming weekend. He was a charter member of the United Sportsman of ND, ND Pheasants Forever, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He was a member of the American Legion, VFW, America Veterans Association, and the Elks. Fred also enjoyed playing pool and participated on two pool teams for the last several years. Fred loved and cared very well for his family. He is survived by his wife, Madeline; his son, Cody, daughter-in-law, Susana Lojan Heer and grandson, Carlos Torres, Glasgow, KY; his sister, Violet Heer Bienek, Fargo, and her sons, Dacian, Crookston, MN, Michael, Warren, MN, and William "Bill" Bienek, Fargo, and their families. He's also survived by his brothers-in-law and their families, Mike and Linda Massa, Hamilton, MT, Larry and Marcia Massa, Bellflower, CA, and sister-in-law, Penny Massa, Hamilton, MT, and their children. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation or ND Pheasants Forever.

Fred F. Heer

May 6, 1933 - October 20, 2010