John P. Oberst

John P. Oberst, 87, of Bismarck, ND, passed away on December 6, 2016. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, December 16, at 10:00 AM at Church of Corpus Christi, 1919 N. 2nd Street, Bismarck, with Rev. Paul Becker officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E. Divide Avenue, Bismarck, and will continue on Friday one hour prior to the service at the church. John was born on April 11, 1929, as the only child to Peter and Elizabeth (Mueller) Oberst. He was raised on a farm in the Epworth community, northeast of Newtown, ND. In 1942, the family moved to Bismarck, ND. John graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1946, and attended St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, graduating with a degree in mathematics in 1950. John married Veronica Doll of Almont, ND, on September 26, 1959, and together they raised four children. John's professional career included working for the North Dakota State Highway Department, the Catholic Order of Foresters, and as the owner and operator of a residential paint contracting business. In 1977 he and Veronica started a paint and decorating retail business named the Oberst Color Center, which they operated together until their retirement in 1993. John was a 70-year member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and held several fraternal offices at the local and state level, including State Chief Ranger. In high school, John played the violin and supported the US WWII effort by hand carving scale model wooden airplanes that were used by the Services for training. As a young man, John enjoyed league bowling and outdoor activities, especially fishing and hunting deer in the Badlands. In his senior years he became an avid Timberwolves, Vikings and Twins fan catching as many games as he could on television. John loved to read, play cards, work on crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and was always up for a game of whist or pinochle. He liked to meet people, hear a good joke, and enjoy a good cup of coffee and candy bar. John was a devout Catholic and devoted husband to Veronica. He worked hard to provide for his family and always put the needs of others before his own. He never spoke poorly of anyone and was well liked and deeply loved by those fortunate to know him. John was a gentle soul with a kind heart and a warm smile. He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends. John is survived by his wife Veronica (Doll) Oberst of Bismarck, ND; his daughter Paulette Oberst of Bismarck, ND; his sons Peter (Laura) Oberst of St. Paul, MN, Robert (Kimberland) Oberst of Houston, TX, and Brian (Janelle) Oberst of Minneapolis, MN; and seven grandchildren, Haley Oberst, Heather Oberst, Rachel Oberst, John Oberst, Matthew Oberst, Henry Oberst, and Joseph Oberst. John was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Elizabeth (Mueller) Oberst.