Theodore Pfenning

Theodore Pfenning, 99, Bismarck, formerly of Beulah, ND, was called home on January 23, 2014, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, Bismarck, North Dakota. Services will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, January 27, at Bethel Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Tim Jenks officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Theodore "Ted" was born September 12, 1914, to Johannes and Margaretha Kohler Pfennig in Dunn County, ND. Ted was a self-taught musician capable of playing many string instruments, harmonica, piano and organ. Before he married, he traveled and played with various bands in Minnesota, Montana and Arizona. During the winter he came back to North Dakota to help with taking care of the cattle for his father. He lived in a one-room house. During one very intense blizzard the fire went out in the stove. Ted used up all the matches and the storm was too harsh to try to walk to safety, so he decided to go to sleep. He had a dream that there was a broken match in one of his coat pockets. When he awoke, sure enough, there was one broken match. With this match, he was able to start a fire and keep from freezing. Ted always believed that this dream came from God. Throughout his entire life, his faith never weakened. He especially loved playing the organ for church services at Peace Lutheran Church. Ted married Viola Jose on September 19, 1943. From this union, two children were born, Iola and Gene. The family resided on a cattle and grain farm twenty miles northwest of Beulah, near Lake Sakakawea. Fishing and hunting on his land were favorite past-times. He was also an avid agate and arrowhead collector. Ted would cut into those rocks and make various jewelry items, some of which he would share with friends and family. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren especially enjoyed looking at these jewelry pieces and slices of agate and marveled how something so beautiful came from a rock that was made by nature and looked so plain on the outside but so beautiful on the inside. Ted and Viola retired in 1985 and moved to Bismarck and spent the next 17 winters in Yuma, AZ, attending jam sessions, and he always made sure he had his guitar along for the sing-alongs, and visiting with their many new friends and then coming back to enjoy the North Dakota summers. Theodore is survived by his daughter, Iola Peter Ressler, Bismarck; granddaughters, Robin Ressler Johnson, St. Paul, MN; JoEll Ressler Bradbary, Key West, FL; three great-grandchildren, Madeline and Noah Johnson, St. Paul, MN, and Tiberius Bradbary, Key West, FL; his sisters, Hulda Erdman, Irene Jose, Frieda Jose, and Lorene Guell; and his brothers, Friedebert, Walter, and Helmuth. He was preceded in death by his son, Gene; his wife, Viola; brothers, infant John, Theophil, Jake; and sisters, Margaret Lang, Martha Jose, and Ernstina Morast.

Theodore Pfenning

September 12, 1914 - January 23, 2014