Charles Bice

A Funeral service for Charles Bice, 72, of Killdeer, will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Killdeer with Pastor John Simonson officiating. Burial will follow in Oakdale Cemetery.


Visitation for Charlie will be 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Killdeer, continuing on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. A Prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.


Charlie passed away Thursday, May 30, 2013 surrounded by his family at Sanford Health Medical Center in Fargo.


Charles Fern Bice (Charlie) was born November 30, 1940 to Charles Fern (known as Fern) and Virginia (Weber) Bice on the Harvey Bice homestead. He was raised on a ranch 22 miles northwest of Killdeer. He attended country school for two years before the schools closed and then attended grade and high school in Killdeer. He volunteered for the draft and entered the Army in October of 1959 and served in Fort Ord California and Fort Bliss Texas until February of 1962. He started ranching with his dad upon returning home. On September 26, 1964, Charlie married Hollace Hovden at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Dickinson. They continued to ranch north of the mountain while raising their family of three children: Wylie, Wade and Wendy. In 1977, they moved to the Heise ranch north of Killdeer; where they remained until 1982, when they built a house in Killdeer. Charlie started his trucking career and trucked for the next 26 years. He trucked in the oilfield for 14 years working for Koch Services. In January 1996, he bought a truck and started his own business “Charlie Bice Trucking” where he transferred grain for Southwest Grain Terminal and hauled feed and grain for farmers for the next 12 years. He still loved working with his cattle the best and owned cattle continuously for over 50 years. He said that trucking was just a retirement job that enabled him to trade pickups every two or three years. Charlie was active in the community serving as a director on the West Dunn Fire District Board of Directors, the St. John’s Lutheran church council and as a longtime member of the Killdeer Saddle club. Charlie and Hollace were honored for their years of community service by being selected as parade Grand Marshals for Killdeer’s Fourth of July parade in 2011. Charlie loved life and interacting with people. He loved riding horseback, snowmobiling, four wheeling and fencing in the badlands. He would round up his wife, children, grandchildren or anyone around to go for a pickup ride in the badlands where he drove so he could see the bottom of every coulee. When he started to slide downhill sideways in the mud or snow, Hollace would open the door and jump out and walk. His grandchildren could do no wrong and he spent as much time as he was able at their rodeos, hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball games or whatever they were involved in. When he had a minor Dr. or dental appointment, he would have no remorse in saying he just couldn’t go to a Christmas program because he didn’t feel well. He took the whole family on a vacation to a different place every year: Calgary rodeo, Nemo SD to 4-wheel, Orlando FL for a Bahama Cruise and Disney World, Terry Peak for skiing etc. He enjoyed the grandkids seeing things for the first time. He loved to have a house full of kids and could spend hour’s playing cards and games with them. He felt honored to be called “Grandpa” by many young people.


He is survived by his wife, Hollace; sons, Wylie (Vickie) of Killdeer and Wade of Watford City; daughter, Wendy (Scott) Krank of West Fargo, ND; five grandchildren, Wyatt, Lakken and Mason Bice and Casey and Emerson Krank. He is also survived by his mother, Virginia, Hilltop Home of Comfort, Killdeer; brother, James (Delores) of Billings MT; sisters, Shirley (Jim) Borg of Bismarck ND and Coty (Darl) Grevious of Glendive MT; sister-in-laws, Lindsey Hovden of Albuquerque, NM and Sandra Hovden of Halliday; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his father, Fern Bice; his father and mother-in-law, Edgar and Irma Hovden; and his brother-in-law, Walter Hovden.


Memorials may be given to the Ezra Barrows Post # 46 of Killdeer, the Oakdale Cemetery, or charity of your choice.


Click to View Program (PDF)


Burial Date: June 5, 2013
Funeral Home Killdeer, ND

Funeral Service: Wednesday: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Killdeer, ND