Ken Roethler

Ken (John Kenneth) Roethler, 92, Bismarck, left us peacefully with the presence and love of God on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Church of St. Anne, 1321 Braman Ave, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will begin at 6 p.m.

Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Ken was born in Elma, Iowa, on Aug 2, 1928, to Elizabeth and Victor Roethler and lived with his brother Roland and sister Jean. He grew up in northern Minnesota where his folks homesteaded north of Orr, Minn. Ken went to school and graduated from Orr High School.

He served in the military stationed in Japan during the occupation after WWII. He was a Communications Engineer. After his discharge from the Army, Ken went to work for National Cash Register (NCR) in Waterloo, Iowa, where he met his wife, Madonna (Donna or Donnie). They married on Sept. 11, 1954, and had five children living first in Cedar Falls, Iowa, then moving to Waterloo, Iowa.

Ken was promoted at NCR and was transferred to Bismarck in 1967, where he and his wife made their forever home and raised their five children. Ken was a devoted husband and treasured his marriage and loved his family. They were always first along with his strong devotion to his Catholic faith.

He loved anything that involved being with his family. Camping trips (with a pop-up camper) were often favorite family events or fishing trips to his parents in Northern Minnesota or traveling the United States in a station wagon with a car top carrier and family of seven to visit relatives or friends.

Ken and Donna’s favorite were road trips whether around town or to be with their family and grandchildren. If there was a soccer, football or baseball game for a grandchild, or first communion or whatever event, they traveled across the country to be there.

He was involved with the Boy Scouts and became the Director Ad Altare Dei: a program for Catholic scouts to encourage an active Catholic faith. As an adult supervisor, Ken took the scouts on many camping/hiking outings throughout North Dakota and even into Montana and Minnesota.

Ken was also an active member of the Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Columbus are committed to four core principles or “degrees”: charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism which exemplified Ken’s life. Ken became a Fourth Degree Knight. He had many friends working with the Knights of Columbus and worked at several pancake breakfasts and roast beef dinners.

Ken was also involved in many programs with the Catholic Church from bible study to weekend retreats such as Cursillos. He was a lecturer and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St. Anne’s Catholic Church.

He was quite the woodworker. He was always making something in his shop from picture frames to Adirondack chairs and park benches—he had a love for creating things.

Ken loved to fish and hunt. Fishing in Northern Minnesota on Namakan Lake was probably his favorite but anywhere on the water was good with him.

Ken is survived by his wife of 66 years, Donna Roethler; one son and four daughters, Tony (Kathy) Roethler, Vicki (Bill) Stumpf, Lynn (Jim) McNulty, LuAnne (Kevin) Bork, and Patti (Steve) Mathisen; grandchildren, Victor Roethler, Al Roethler, Jennifer (Joe) Kaufenberg, Jess (Frank) Modich, Dylan Stumpf, Logan Stumpf, Sarah (Dave) Cook, Tyler McNulty, Bailee (Calvin) Gazda, Auston Bork, Calli Bork, Kyle (Wendy) Smith, Lucas (Jamie) Smith, Taylor Mathisen, and Brady Mathisen; great-grandchildren, Caroline and Eloise Roethler; Aaron, Savannah, Layne, and Jackson Kaufenberg; Chloe (Reily) Pecha; Emma and Harper Cook; Easton and Scotti Lu Gazda; Everett Smith; and June Smith; one great-great-grandchild, Oliver Pecha. He is survived by his sister-in-law Marilyn (Keith) Harrison, and many other nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Elizabeth Roethler; sister, Jean Greising; brother, Roland and his wife Wilma Roethler; brother-in-law, Robert and his wife Nora Maher; and son-in-law David Smith.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to St. Mary’s High School, the University of Mary Armada, or a charity of your choice.