Michael Koffler

Michael Koffler, 52, New England, died Saturday, May 7, 2005, at St. Joseph?s Hospital and Health Center, Dickinson. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a. m. Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at St. Mary?s Catholic Church, New England, with Fr. Basil Atwell O. S. B. , celebrating. Musicians will be Mark Koller and Julie Opdahl; readers will be Dave Schmidt and Gordy Schmidt; pallbearers will be Gary Miller, Shawn Wolf, Wade Bock, Dan Thompson, Jerry Janvrin and Rex Sadler; honorary pallbearers will be St. Mary?s Saints State Class B Champion Wrestling Team from 1969 and 1970; classmates and friends; Mass servers will be Robert and Paul Gardner. Interment will be in St. Mary?s Cemetery, New England. Visitation will be 11 a. m. to 9 p. m. , Tuesday, May 10, 2005, at Price-Murphy Funeral Home, Dickinson with a rosary and prayer service at 7 p. m. Visitation will continue on Wednesday at St. Mary?s Catholic Church in New England from 9 a. m. to 10 a. m. with a rosary being said at 10 a. m. Michael Koffler was born October 21, 1952, in Fort Carson, CO to Nick and Evelyn (Schorsch) Koffler. He was raised in New England and graduated from New England St. Mary?s High School. He went on to attend North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton. After college, he worked for Koffler Manufacturing of New England, was the owner of the Branding Iron Bar and Caf?, then had his own oilfield business doing work for Gulf Oil Co. , then co-owned the Trading Post in Dickinson until returning to work at Koffler Manufacturing. He married Marge Sparlund Sargent on July 8, 1978 at St. Mary?s Catholic Church in New England. He was a former member of the New England Fire Department, was an EMT for the New England Ambulance, was an active participant in the Amidon and New England Roping and Saddle Clubs for many years, was a Deputy for the Hettinger County Sheriff?s Department and a member of the Retreads Motorcycle Club. Michael was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council #9675, where he was the First Grand Knight, and received Knight of the Year and was a past district deputy. He was a member of the State Class B Wrestling Championship team as well as the state individual champion of the New England St. Mary?s Saints for two consecutive years (1969 and 1970. ) He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, hunting, coaching of football and wrestling, and other outdoor sports activities. He is survived by: his wife, Marge, New England, ND; one daughter and son-in-law, Sargianna and Jeremy Wutzke, Bismarck, ND; two sons, Billy and Chris Koffler, both New England, ND; two grandchildren, Jasmine and Jordan Wutzke; one sister and brother-in-law, Reenie and Mike Thorstenson, New England, ND; special uncle and aunt, Frank and June Koffler, East Bethel, MN; aunts Lydia Koffler, Eugene, OR and aunt Dorothy Koffler, Searcy, AR; nieces, Shelly and Shawn Wolf, Jill and Wade Bock and Kayleen Thorstenson; one great-niece, Emma Bock; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Herb and Gladys Multhaup, New England, ND, Lillian and Fid Fitterer, Great Falls, MT; Fern and Roy Hewson, New England, ND and Earl and Sandra Sparlund, San Marcos, CA. He was preceded in death by: his infant son, Anthony Michael Koffler; his parents, Nick and Evelyn Koffler; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Ernest and Marjorie Sparlund; grandparents, Mike and Margaret Koffler and Anthony and Elizabeth Schorsch; uncles, Jack, Adam, and John Koffler.


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Burial Date: May 11, 2005
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Mass: Wednesday, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, New England