John B. Tharaldsen

John B. Tharaldsen was called to heaven on July 14, 2020 where he was relieved of his pain and suffering. A private family service was held.

John B. Tharaldsen was born on April 12, 1943 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He grew up and went to school in the Red Bank, New Jersey, area and graduated from Rutgers University. It was in New Jersey where he met his forever bride, Bonnie Kovar (originally of New England, North Dakota) and they were married August 26, 1971. John had two daughters from a previous marriage and added another daughter and son with Bonnie. They owned their own business; however, when the recession hit they had to close. They decided to try a new adventure and moved to North Dakota to be near Bonnie’s family.

John was enjoying a success career with Motorola when he stricken with myotonic muscular dystrophy at age 38. The disease didn’t allow him to continue working a normal job, so he found a new path – ministry. He joined the Catholic Deaconite program and was ordained a deacon in 1993. He served the Corpus Christi Parish, where he loved to give sermons. He also was a chaplain at the State Penitentiary and then at St Alexius Hospital. He was forced to retire in 2015 due to the progression of his disease.

He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Tharaldsen; three children, Kathy (David) Betts, British Columbia, Randi Roller, Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Jon (Joni) Tharaldsen, Watertown, South Daktoa; and six grandchildren – Jonathan Tharaldsen, Sierra Roller, Kieran Roller, Jaron Tharaldsen, Jyler Tharaldsen and Jax Tharaldsen. Family was John’s everything, but his health didn’t allow him to do much with them the past several years. He now at least can see all of us every day.

John was welcomed to heaven by his parents, John and Lillian Tharaldsen; his “second” parents, Ed and Sophie Wisniewski.