Peter Thoreson

Peter Thoreson, Jr. of Mayville, ND died on October 3rd, 2024 at the Luther Memorial Home in Mayville, ND. Visitation will be held at Baker Funeral Home on October 11, 2024 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Memorial service will be held at Baker Funeral home on October 12, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. followed by burial at North Prairie Lutheran Church cemetery near Buxton, ND. The officiant is Pastor Bruce Vold of St. John Lutheran Church in Hatton, ND. Following the burial will be a reception in the Luckasen room at Mayville Sate University.

Pete is survived by his children Jon (Gail) Thoreson of Lafayette, MN, Steve (Jan) Thoreson of Buxton, ND, and Mary Thoreson (Terry Nielsen) of Bemidji, MN. He is survived by 9 grandchildren Curtis (Amber) Thoreson of Janesville, IA, Kent (Lindsay) Thoreson of Pella, IA, Henry Thoreson of Lafayette, MN, Hannah Thoreson of Los Angeles, CA, Kate Thoreson of San Francisco, CA, Victoria (Matt) Vold of Grand Forks, ND, Andy (Emily) Clemenson of Fairborn, OH, Sonja (Casey) Corcoran of Mounds View, MN, and Daniel Clemenson of Snead’s Ferry, NC. He is also survived by 6 great grandchildren, sister-in-law Inez Jacobson of Fargo, ND and by special friends June Tangen, Howard and Helen Schmid, Ed Schmid, and Doug and Linda Meyer.

He was preceded in death by his wife Betty, parents Peter and Hannah Thoreson, siblings Howard (Betty ) Thoreson, Alpha (Kenneth) Flaten, Mayo (Loretta) Thoreson, Delores (Norman) Erickson, and Eleanor (Harvey) Erickson, father and mother-in-law George and Magnil Jorgenson, brothers and sisters-in-law Richard (Lois) Jorgenson, Ardis (Paul) Oppegard, Keith Jacobson, and Ione Jorgenson.

Peter was born on December 3rd, 1933, at the farm in Lindaas Township. He was the youngest of 6 children of Peter and Hannah Thoreson. He attended Lindaas Township School in the early grades and high school in Mayville. He enjoyed sports, playing football, basketball, and track.

Peter studied agriculture at NDSU. While there, he met his future wife, Betty Lou Jorgenson. She invited him as her guest to a formal dinner at her sorority. Things worked out quite well, and they were married on July 7th, 1956, at North Prairie Lutheran Church near Leeds, ND. They enjoyed 61 years of marriage together.

Peter took over the farm in 1959 when his parents retired. Peter was a progressive farmer, readily willing to change practices and crops to improve the success of the farm. He was an early grower of edible beans and sunflowers. He planted wheat and soybeans this past spring for the last time on the same ground he has planted for some 70 years. Even though his health was declining, he was able to combine some wheat this summer. His great grandson Logan even unloaded him on the go with the grain cart.

Peter was a founding board member of the Red River Valley Edible Bean Growers Association, now known as the North Harvest Bean Growers Association. Pete was also on the board of directors for Nodak Mutual Insurance Company for many years.

A talented singer, Peter sang for many funerals, weddings, anniversaries, church services, and family gatherings over the years. He also sang in a quartet with neighbors Vernon Jenson, Ted Endrud, and Gerhard Ringsrud for many years in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Later he sang barbershop with the Valley Chordsmen in Grand Forks.

Blessed be his memory. Memorials to donor's choice.