Maurice Smestad

Maurice J. Smestad, 84, of Hatton, ND passed away February 11th, 2014 at Hatton Prairie Village, Hatton, ND. Maurice was born February 5, 1930 in Garfield Township near Hatton, ND to Carl and Maude (Brumwell) Smestad. He was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Hatton, where he attended School, eventually obtaining his GED and attended Arizona State University. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict, where he worked for the Adjutant General Department administration at the Far East Air Force headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. He married Miyoko Hirose on March 16th, 1953 in the Chapel Center, Tokyo, Japan. The couple came back to North Dakota in 1954 and farmed in rural Hatton until his retirement in 1990. Maurice was a member of Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Hatton, St John’s Lutheran Church., the American Legion of Hatton and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Mayville, ND. He served as president of the Washington Prairie Church board and Tri-County Nursing Home board, as well as commander of the Hatton American Legion and Garfield Township board chairman. In addition to his faith, family, friends and farming, he also loved nature, travel and escaping into a good book. Survivors include his wife, Miyoko; sons, Jon (Kathie), Nerstrand, MN, grandsons Logan and Kyle; and Jack (Elizabeth), Shoreview, MN, grandchildren Cassidy, Austin and Ryan (Nicole), great-grandaughters Makenzie and Addison; his brother Stanley (Jean) Hatton; sisters, Shirley (James) Ness, Hatton and Mae Moen, Red Bluff, CA ; sister-in Law Adlaide Smestad, Mayville. He is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Maude, brothers Carl and Howard; sisters Delia Foss, Connie Thompson, Maude Evenson and June Smestad; brother in laws Art Foss ,Glenn Thompson and Glenn Moen. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Hatton Prairie Village or St. Johns Cemetery, Hatton, ND Military Rites: Carroll O, Flesche Post #70, Hatton American Legion. Visitation: 5-7 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM on Friday, February 21, 2014 at Hatton Prairie Village Chapel, Hatton. Memorial Service: 2:00 PM Saturday, February 22, 2014 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Hatton.