Douglas John Kirk

Douglas John Kirk, 55, of Fargo passed away unexpectedly in his sleep at home on January 10, 2020. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 17, 2020, at 2 PM at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in South Fargo. Visitation will be an hour before the service. Cremation has taken place and burial will be later this year in Nordland Cemetery of rural Bottineau.

Doug was born July 16, 1964, in Devils Lake, North Dakota to Glen and Lois (Platts) Kirk. He was baptized at the First Methodist Church in Devils Lake. He attended his first two grades of school in Devils Lake. In 1973 the family moved to South Fargo where he attended Lewis & Clark Elementary, then moved to North Fargo where he attended Ben Franklin Junior High. In 1979 the family moved to Bottineau where Doug graduated from Bottineau High School in 1982 in the top 10% of his class. Doug was active in basketball, track, concert band and stage band (playing the baritone saxophone). He was also the Drum Major for the marching band. It was at Bottineau High School that he met his future wife, Kaye Lystad, where they participated in a saxophone quartet for music contest and stage band together.

After high school Doug attended North Dakota State University-Bottineau Branch (now Dakota College-Bottineau) for one year and this is where Doug and Kaye began dating for the next seven years. They were married on October 14, 1989, at First Lutheran Church in Bottineau.

In 1985, Doug transferred to NDSU in Fargo where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering in 1986.

After graduation he began working for ComputerLand of Fargo, then at Corporate Technologies in Fargo from 1989 to 2013 as a Senior Network Engineer. It was here that he completed several Novell network certifications, including a Certified Novell Instructor (CNI) certification. In June of 2013 he began work at Marco in Fargo as a Senior Network Systems Engineer. Here he earned numerous Cisco certifications across multiple specialties. Doug was an expert at designing, installing and troubleshooting information technology. Few people in the tri-state area have the qualifications, expertise and problem-solving skills that Doug had. Doug was truly a computer and network wizard, yet his customers loved working with him as he never talked over anybody’s head; he could always explain things in a way that the average person would understand.

Doug liked keeping busy with new endeavors, whether it be a new business venture, volunteer work or hobbies. In 1994, Doug partnered with his boss, Dave Ekman to form Corporate Communications, one of the very first internet service providers in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Doug spent many hours in his basement at home and at work learning, setting up and maintaining the technical end of this new business, as well as providing customer support. The company was sold in 2000.

Doug also had a strong sense of civic duty, becoming a volunteer deputy for the Cass County Sheriff’s Department from approximately 2003 to 2007.

A sampling of some hobbies that Doug enjoyed and thoroughly immersed himself into were Judo, photography, bicycling, amateur ham radio operating and golf.

Photography had always been a big love of Doug’s and his photographs looked as though they were taken by a professional. He was more than happy to photograph a recent family reunion on Kaye’s side of the family and had also been the photographer for a friend’s wedding.

Doug had a very special way of helping others feel comfortable in their surroundings. He was quick to smile, and his laugh was infectious, which is something that will be greatly missed! If only we could hear you laugh again, Doug! He loved listening to all genres of music, and he loved movies, his favorite being sci-fi. He especially enjoyed watching them with his sister-in-law, Susan (Lystad) Boucher, when she visited, as she shared Doug’s enthusiasm for them. Doug looked forward to watching the NDSU Bison football team play the last several years and was especially looking forward to watching them win the championship game on Saturday. However, I’m sure he was cheering them on in heaven with our cats that had gone before him sitting on his lap and by his side.

Doug was a huge animal lover. His heart was especially full of love for the cats he’d had throughout his lifetime. He also truly loved and adored Kaye’s childhood cats. It was the running joke that one of the reasons Doug dated Kaye was so he could have access to her beloved cats.

When Doug and Kaye were dating, Doug was always willing to accompany her to libraries, courthouses and cemeteries so Kaye could work on her family history. What a guy! They always seemed to know what the other was thinking and could finish each other’s sentences. In fact, if they were paired together during a game of Pictionary or Taboo, they would always win. They had many things in common: a love of animals, nature, history, antiques, 80s music, traveling, Bottineau and the Turtle Mountains, and so much more. They took special trips to Norway, Virginia, several to the Florida Gulf Coast and parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. They loved looking for and collecting special antiques at various antique stores and flea markets, including Gold Rush Days in Rochester and Oronoco, Minn. It was an extra bonus when an antique dealer had their pet along that they could make friends with. And while Kaye was quiet, shy and soft-spoken; Doug’s personality of being very outgoing, friendly and boisterous made for a perfect pair.

Douglas is survived by Kaye, his wife of 30 years and best friend of 37; parents Lois and Glen, Fargo; two sisters: June (Philip) Nelson, West Fargo, and Cady (Chris) Halvorson, Boulder, Colo.; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Susan (Merle) Boucher, Rolette, No. Dak., and Patrice (John) Donahue, North Ft. Myers, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind his cherished and precious cats, Lily Sue and Violet, who will miss him dearly and don’t understand why Doug is gone.

Doug’s passing has already left a huge hole in the hearts and lives of everyone who knew and loved him. He will be dearly missed and will never, ever be forgotten. Our hearts are broken over the loss of this kind and gentle soul who was always the life of the party.

“You never said I’m leaving, you never said goodbye. You were gone before I knew it, and only God knew why. A million times I needed you, a million times I cried. If love alone could have saved you, you never would have died. In life I loved you dearly, in death I love you still. In my heart you hold a place, that no one could ever fill. It broke my heart to lose you, but you didn’t go alone. For part of me went with you, the day God took you home.”

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.hansonrunsvold.com

Arrangements by Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home – Fargo, ND