Funeral Services for Gordon Hersrud, age 93, of Lemmon, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 10, 2011 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Pastor Kathleen Dettmann will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery at Lemmon.

Special music will be provided by Marilyn Willey, organist.

Serving as casketbearers are J.B. Lindquist, Carter Lindquist, Charles Lindquist, Christopher Lindquist, Arnie Luptak and Chuck Edwards.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to World Hunger ELCA and can be sent to Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, PO Box 71764, Chicago, IL 60694-1764 or www.elca.org/hunger.

A longtime Lemmon businessman and a pillar of the Lemmon community, Gordon Willis Hersrud passed away November 2, 2011, at St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, ND, at the age of 93. Until his death, he was able to live independently in the home that he built 60 years ago.

Gordon was born on April 12, 1918, at Petrel, ND, in Adams County. Joining his sister, Ione, and his brother, Leslie, Gordon was the third child of Martin and Luella (Hardy) Hersrud, who homesteaded near Petrel in 1907. Following Gordon's birth, Martin moved his general merchandise/farm equipment store from Petrel to White Butte, where Gordon's brother Morris was born. In 1923, the family moved to Lemmon, where Martin established the Hersrud Implement Company.

In 1936, Gordon graduated from Lemmon High School, where he was on the yearbook and newspaper staff and where he played the clarinet in the band. He went on to graduate from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, in 1940, with a degree in economics. While there, he continued his journalistic and musical pursuits by participating on the newspaper staff and in the band. After college, he continued to play the clarinet in the Lemmon Clown Band.

Following his college graduation, Gordon turned down a well-paying job in Chicago to return to Lemmon and join his father at Hersrud Implement. After World War II, Gordon's younger brother, Morris, would partner with them. Gordon would later serve as President of the Farm Equipment Association of Minnesota and South Dakota.

Gordon married Avis Wilhelm of Hettinger, ND, on September 12, 1941. They had three children: Jeanne, Carol, and Martin. Avis and Jeanne were killed in an automobile accident in 1965.

A man of great faith in all aspects of his life, Gordon was an active, lifelong member of Calvary Lutheran Church. Devoted to his community as well, he served as president of the Lemmon School Board, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lemmon Lions Club, to which he belonged for 50 years. In 1970, Gordon was elected to the Board of Directors of the Bank of Lemmon (Dacotah Bank) and served for numerous years.

On December 28, 1973, Gordon married Ava Lindquist of Hettinger. Together they enjoyed traveling and spent many winters in Palm Springs, CA. They were also avid golfers and Minnesota Vikings fans. Ava died April 6, 2007.

Gordon is survived by his brother, Morris (Marian) Hersrud of Naples, FL; his children, Carol (Clark) Johnson of Lemmon and Martin G. (Helen) Hersrud of Las Vegas, NV; his grandchildren: Heather (Gonzalo) Johnson Romero Lauro of Pittsburgh, PA; Heidi (Joel) Schrock of St. Charles, IL; Adrianne Hersrud of Seattle, WA; Calandra Hersrud of Philadelphia, PA; Kristin (Aaron) Kopp of Boise, ID; and Charles Hersrud of Phoenix, AZ; and his great-grandchildren: Rafael, Quentin, and Luca Romero Lauro and Jerald Kopp.

Also grateful for having shared in Gordon's life are Ava's children: J.B. (Carol) Lindquist of Hettinger; Margaret Jane (Jerry) Pederson of Park Rapids, MN; and Susan Ava (Clarence) Archibald, Carter (Sue) Lindquist, Charles (Diana) Lindquist, and Christopher (Terri) Lindquist, all of Hettinger; and their children and grandchildren.

Gordon was preceded in death by his first wife, Avis, and their daughter, Jeanne; his parents, Martin and Luella (Hardy) Hersrud; an infant granddaughter, Alivia Hersrud; his sister and brother-in-law, Ione and Calvin Martin; one brother and sister-in-law, Judge Leslie and Mary Hersrud; and his second wife, Ava.

Gordon's 1936 high school yearbook described him as "standing high from every point of view," fitting words for a man not only tall in stature but also in character, service, and generosity toward others.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, and at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday.