Kesley Tveter

Kesley Dean Tveter, “Nahg-zidi-di-de-dish” (Running Buffalo Calf), was born July 26, 1995, in Williston, ND, to Michele Endrud (Tveter) and Harley Emerson Pace. Kesley was called home to the Lord January 22, 2020, surrounded by loved ones at Sandford Hospital in Bismarck, ND.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 28, at Century Baptist Church, 205 Colt Ave, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 27, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 28, at Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck.

Kesley attended elementary school in Watford City, ND, spent a few years in Beulah, ND, then finished out high school in Hazen, ND, where he graduated in 2013. While in school, Kesley was active in youth ministries, which  allowed him the opportunity to travel to Dallas, TX, and New York City on mission trips. He also participated in hockey for 12 years, and it quickly grew to be a favorite sport. His favorite professional team to cheer for was the Colorado Avalanche and he was fortunate to have been able to take in a few of their games over the past couple of years. Kesley also enjoyed watching professional football with friends and family, especially his favorite team, The Vikings. Despite their lack of success, Kesley’s faith and love for them remained unwavering. Whether it was watching sports or any sort of family event, Kesley loved and valued his family deeply and enjoyed any occasion in which they could all be together.  

One of Kesley’s earliest passions was the Harry Potter series. At the young age of 8 years old, Kesley began reading Harry Potter and would wait with great anticipation for each new volume to be released. His excitement for the books remained strong throughout his life – he reread the series multiple times and his choice of costume for Halloween last year was, in fact, Harry Potter. Kesley also had a great love for music, and enjoyed traveling to different states to attend music festivals with friends that shared his passion. 

Kesley’s easy going and fun loving personality allowed him to make friends wherever he went. This was evident by the number of people he befriended while attending Bismarck State College. His loving, caring, and generous personality overflowed. He’s been known to give the shirt off his back or offer a place to sleep when one might not have one, and his last act on earth exemplified that generosity by helping save multiple lives with his willingness to be an organ donor. Those who knew Kesley, even just a little, lost a shining light in their lives. He will be missed immensely, but his family and friends can find comfort in knowing that he will live on through the individuals that received his blessed gifts.

Kesley is survived by his mother, Michele (Bob Stocking); his father, Harley Pace; his step-father, Todd Endrud; and his brothers Kody Tveter, Kacyn Endrud, Kamyrien Gillies, and Emerson Minafore. He also leaves behind his maternal grandparents, Dean and Lois Tveter of New Town; paternal grandmothers Josie Chase of Rapid City, Trudy Chase-Walsh of Dodge, and his grandparents Mike and Sharon Endrud of Watford City. He is also survived by aunts and uncles: Michael Tveter (Heidi), Roger Tveter, Brent Tveter (Tione), Heidi Carns (Ricky), Alissa Krueger (Todd), Luke White Shirt, Ellie Pace, and Brett Endrud (Daisey); as well as many loving cousins, a host of wonderful friends, and his strongly adored cat, Lilly.  

He was proceeded in death by his deeply loved cousin Dariann Tveter, his uncle Jesse White Shirt, and a number of close friends.

Kesley’s family would like to stress that in spite of Kesley’s enthusiasm for life, he also struggled with depression and anxiety. He turned to self-medication as an answer and ultimately, the two combined broke his heart. They lovingly encourage those who live with these battles to reach out to family and/or professionals for mental health support. They would also like to say thank you to the wonderful ICU team and doctors that cared for Kesley during his last few days. Their compassionate support to Kesley, his family, and friends as they prepared to say goodbye did not go unnoticed.