Orville Neil Fossland

Orville Neil Fossland, 82, passed away peacefully at his home in Bismarck, North Dakota, on August 12, 2015. A celebration of Orville's life will be held Saturday, August 22, at 11:00 am, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck, with Rev. Steve Sathre officiating.There will be a visitation on Sunday, August 23, at 12:30 pm at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairdale, followed by a burial service and color guard at 2:00 pm at St. Olaf Cemetery.Orville was born on March 1, 1933, in Kinloss Township, North Dakota, on the farm of Olaus Blagstvedt, his mother's uncle. Orville lived with his mother and father, Ruth (Gilbertson) and Ole Fossland, on the Blagstvedt farm for a few years before moving to land homesteaded by Ruth's father, Nils Gilbertson. Here the family made their home and farmed land that remains in the family to this day.As a young boy, Orville attended township schools before eventually attending school in Fairdale, where he sometimes boarded over the winter. Orville graduated Fairdale High School in 1951 and continued working on the farms until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954. He was deployed to Germany on active duty from 1954 to 1956. While on leave, he enjoyed travels in Europe, including a trip to Norway to visit relatives. Orville remained in the Army Reserves until 1962.Upon returning home from Europe, Orville worked the family farm and then attended the University of North Dakota, where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. Orville then moved to Washington, D.C., to work as an engineer for the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1973, Orville transferred to a field manager position and returned home to North Dakota, settling in Bismarck. His work took him all over the state, as well as to Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana. While in Washington, D.C., Orville met Raimunda Teixeira Miranda, who had moved to the U.S. from Brazil in 1963. After a long courtship, the two were married on December 9, 1983, and honeymooned in Rio de Janeiro, one of many memorable travels that Orville enjoyed throughout his life.Other favorite trips included a visit to Norway with his father in 1971 and a vacation in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in 1974. Orville also enjoyed golfing, fishing, and spending time at the family farm in Fairdale. Orville attended Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairdale and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck. He was a member of the Elks Lodge #1199 and the National Society of Professional Engineers. Orville was a beloved son, brother, husband, and uncle who will live on in the hearts of many dear friends and family. Orville is survived by his wife, Raimunda T. Fossland, of Bismarck; nephew Kevin (Lisa) Fossland of Basehor, KS; nephew Kent (Kim) Fossland and grand-nephews Alex and Zach of Omaha, NE; nephew Keith Fossland and grand-nieces Delaney and Devyn of Annandale, NJ; and nephews and nieces Valdir Teixeira Miranda, Gelci Teixeira Miranda Souza, Vilma Maria Teixeira Pupo, Clóvis Teixeira Miranda, Halim Teixeira Miranda, and Dilma Pereira Bezerra of Brazil. Orville was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Oline Gilbertson; his father, Ole Nergard Fossland; and brothers Kenneth Alviron Fossland and Kenneth Allen Fossland.