Ada Melvina Bjerke

Ada's Memorial Service will be livestreamed here: https://vimeo.com/event/3449954

Ada Melvina (Goughnour) Bjerke, 95, originally of Hatton, North Dakota, died Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in West Fargo, ND, surrounded by family.

Ada was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1927, to Jennie (Braaten) and William McKinley Goughnour. One of six children, Ada and her family lived on a farm between Hatton and Portland. Ada was named after her father's sister Ada, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 22.

Ada attended grade school at Viking #2, about a mile straight north of the farm. Ada said hers was the best school around, with indoor toilets, furnace, basement… other schools used oil lamps and outhouses.

A dear friend and neighbor recalled her as being an adorable little girl with jet-black hair whose tears flowed freely as she devoured raw onions like they were apples. He said you can't be a Norwegian with that black hair, and he was right. Ada was proud of her father's Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, and for years a magnet on her fridge declared "Norwegian by marriage."

Ada said there was no place she would've rather grown up than on the farm where they raised a few cattle and grew wheat, corn, barley, and oats. Her brothers loved riding horseback, and when the horses were gone, they switched to motorcycles. Her brother Billy also became a pilot, and one of her regrets is not allowing him to take her up with him. She said he was quite mischievous, and she liked to keep her feet on the ground.

Her dad didn't allow the girls to do chores except to bring lunch out. Ada loved talking about her dad, saying he was rarely cross and was a jack of all trades the area farmers relied on to fix things. Her mom would keep a pot of coffee on for all the people who would stop by daily, a trait which Ada picked up and perfected with the addition of her incredible brownies.

She graduated from Hatton High School in 1945 and went to Mayville Teachers College. In addition to teaching and serving as secretary for Maddock Schools, Ada worked for many years as a secretary in a clinic. She also contributed to many clubs and organizations over the years, not the least of which was her treasured bowling league.

Ada's first date with Elroy Berniel Bjerke was in 1946. They intended to go to a dance, but when Elroy learned of a train derailment in Michigan, ND, he just had to see it. She loved their first date story, and the rest is history.

Ada and Elroy married on January 17, 1947. They and their five children lived in Hatton, Borup, Maddock, and Georgetown, progressively following Elroy's successful career in elevator management. They were married just shy of 75 years before his passing in November of 2021.

Ada and Elroy's family grew to include ten grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. They were faithful members of Peace Lutheran Church. In 1997, the couple moved into Fargo, where Ada continued hosting her children and grandchildren for amazing roast and potato dinners. Elroy and Ada entered assisted living together. They treasured visits from great-grandchildren and always had treats and trinkets ready to send home with kids.

Ada is survived by her children, Robert Elroy (Jennifer), Arlyn, Sharon (Richard), Jennifer (Lance), and Rodney. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elroy; her parents, William and Jennie Goughnour; brothers, Billy, Victor, and Myron; and sisters, Phyllis Kost and Eunice Hjelmstad.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, where friends and family will gather to celebrate the life of Ada Melvina Goughnour. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Peace Lutheran Church in Fargo or St. Johns cemetery fund; organizations close to Ada's heart.