Ed Briski

Funeral Services for Ed Briski, 93, of Grand Forks, ND, formerly of New England, ND, will be 2:00 p. m. Friday, April 30, 2010, at Our Redeemer?s Lutheran Church in New England with Pastor Bruce Peterson officiating. Burial will follow the service at the New England Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12:00 to 4:00 p. m. Thursday, April 29, 2010, at Stevenson Funeral Home in Dickinson, continuing from 5:00 to 9:00 p. m. at Our Redeemer?s Lutheran Church in New England with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p. m. Ed passed away Monday, April 26, 2010, at the Altru Health System Hospital in Grand Forks. Ed was born February 8, 1917, in Rainy Butte Township, Slope County, near New England, ND, the son of Joseph and Mary (Plese) Briski, immigrants from Croatia. He was raised on the homestead and as a kid enjoyed hunting rabbits with his brothers when they weren?t busy with farm chores. He was educated in Slope County, graduated from State Normal School in Dickinson, ND, and is thus an alumnus of Dickinson State University. For a short time, he was a teacher at Fort Rice, ND. As a young man, he traveled with friends back and forth from ND to Yakima, WA, picking fruit, hopping trains, and seeing the sights. He attended the Western Aircraft School in Bismarck in early 1941 with his brother. They went to Los Angeles to work as aircraft mechanics. He attended college in Ellensburg, WA, for a couple of years, but had farming in his blood, so he returned to ND to farm. While in Washington, he was an avid roller skater, spending many evenings skating with his sister, even joining a skating dance group. He loved to hike the hills of Yakima, WA, the buttes of ND, and travel all the roads between California, Washington, and North Dakota. His greatest past-time joy was to jump in the car and go for a Sunday ride, a weeklong trip, or just an afternoon to look at the countryside. There was no road not traveled by Ed. He was a motorcycle enthusiast, owning several different models throughout his lifetime, including a ?Harley,? and took several trips throughout the West with his son and son-in-law. On February 14, 1952, he married Ruth Nielsen in a private ceremony at her parents? home in New England, ND. Afterward, he whisked her off on a honeymoon trip to the Grand Canyon and back up through CA, OR, WA, then back to ND. They lived for a short time on the farm of his parents near the Rainy Buttes. They moved to Riverside, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, where he worked as a carpenter in a furniture factory. They returned to ND where they continued farming on the farm of his childhood and resided in New England. He took correspondent classes in TV repair and did that as a side job while farming. He was a strong believer in the National Farmers Organization and helped start a local chapter in the area. He belonged to the Farmers Union and firmly believed in its mission. His hobbies included playing various instruments, including the mandolin, guitar, harmonica, and the ?fiddle?; making furniture, suitcases, jewelry boxes, and guitar cases; and he loved astronomy and gazing at the stars. It was within his character to get his children up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the meteor showers or northern lights. He made his own farm equipment, duck foot, sprayers; repaired his own vehicles, remodeled his own home and aided other family members with their remodeling projects. He dabbled in film, making home movies with a unique comic flair all his own. He was a jack of many trades, master of none, but a perfectionist in all that he did. Though he was a quiet man, not given to many words, his heart was big and he was a very kind and gentle man. He was very proud of his children and grandchildren, and was amazed to live long enough to be a great-grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Ruth; daughter, Mary and David Anderson of Grand Forks, ND; son, Charles ?Chuck? Briske of New England, ND; grandchildren, Kai Anderson, Grand Forks, ND; Kristen and Justin Hasner, Idaho Falls, ID; Kimberly and Jorge Fossland, Fargo, ND; Michael Briske, Yorba Linda, CA; great-grandchild, Karynn Hasner, Idaho Falls, ID; brother Lawrence and Alice Briski of Tacoma, WA; sister Elsie and Rowland Seal of Yakima, WA; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Joe, John, Frank, Steve, Jerry, Harry, and Matthew; and sisters, Mary and Annie.


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Burial Date: April 30, 2010
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Service: Friday, Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, New England, ND