Luke Fast

Ludwig “Luke” Fast, 100, Bismarck, died May 3, 2016, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, Bismarck. Services will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, May 7, at Faith Lutheran Church, 1402 E Avenue C, Bismarck, with Rev. Jon Splichal Larson officiating. Burial will held at 2:00 pm Saturday at Garrison Cemetery, Garrison, ND, with military honors by Hugh P. Minehan, American Legion Post #49. Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Friday, May 6, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E Divide Ave., Bismarck. Luke was born on October 4, 1915, in Garrison, ND, the son of Joseph and Emma (Schmitcke) Fast. His parents moved to Emmet, ND, where he attended school. As a young man he worked for Figenskaw, Schlichting, and Truax Traer Coal Co. for 23 years. In 1941 he joined the Army infantry, Co. F 20th Infantry, 6th Division. He participated in two amphibious beach landings in the Philippines, and at one point participated in 100 continuous days of combat, the longest in the Pacific theater. At 25, as an older than average soldier, Luke often took the lead in difficult scenarios. After watching his superior cut down by Japanese machine gunfire, Luke took it upon himself to circle around the war zone through the jungle and destroy two Japanese machine gun “nests.” Mortar shells tore him open and claimed his hearing. He was awarded the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, Victory Medal, and a Good Conduct award for his service of four years. He was discharged in October 1945 as a staff sergeant. After recovering from malaria, he returned to North Dakota. Luke gained an instant family when he married Lydia Boger, a widow with a young son, Curtis, on February 15, 1948. And Tim was born later to the couple. He went to work in area coal mines for several years. Luke also worked for several road construction companies from 1957 – 1971, mainly with Northern Improvement as a blade operator. The last eight years that Luke worked, he helped build three different power plants where one of his assignments was operating the construction elevators. He always shared a little ribbing, a joke, and an occasional good-natured pinch with his coworkers. After he retired, he worked part-time as a blade operator until he was nearly 70 and was still being recruited after that. Luke and Lydia enjoyed dancing in their later years and after her passing, Luke and his companion Dolly, continued with the pastime. His love of music was evident at the nursing home with his vocal enthusiasm in men’s group and other concerts. He was still doing the jig in his bed watching the polka channel the day before he passed away. Luke is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Raye Fast, Bismarck; his granddaughter, Amy (Levi) Liepke, Bismarck; and his grandson, Brian Fast (Lyssa Johnson), Bismarck; his great-grandchildren, Skylar and Lukas, and a future great-granddaughter, soon to arrive; his companion, Dolly Feland; and his sister, Mary Bayer, Wadena, MN. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lydia; his stepson, Curtis; and his brothers and sisters.