Charles Allen Feste

Charles A. Feste, 85, of Fargo passed away on November 24, 2013. He was born October 27, 1928, in Fargo, North Dakota, to Joseph K. and Bertha C. (Wardeberg) Feste. Charles graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1946, and from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota in 1950. Following college, he joined the armed forces and trained at the Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Charles was assigned to the 9th Infantry Regiment of the Second Division and saw service on the front lines in Korea as platoon leader and as the Intelligence Officer of the Third Battalion of the 9th Regiment. Charles was awarded the Bronze Star Medal of Valor for his service; he was honorably discharged in 1953.

Charles married his college sweetheart, Carol Elizabeth Thompson of Bygland, Minnesota in October of 1953.

Charles earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Dakota in 1956, and was admitted to the North Dakota Bar Association. He was admitted and qualified as an Attorney and Counselor of the United States Supreme Court in 1977.

In 1956, Charles joined the Conmy Law firm in Fargo where he practiced law until his retirement in 2002. He was active in his profession, serving as president of the Cass County Bar Association, president of the Red River Valley Estate Planning Council and president of the State Bar Association of North Dakota. One of the professional activities he enjoyed most throughout his career was his participation in ACTEC, the American College of Trust and Estate Council. He was a member of ACTEC for more than 40 years; he served on the Bylaws and Manuals Committee and was elected to the Board of Regents.

Charles was an active, lifelong member of First Lutheran Church in Fargo, where he was baptized and confirmed. In addition to being involved in his church locally, he was also active in the national affairs of the both the ALC and the ELCA. He served as advisor to the bishop of the Eastern North Dakota District, fulfilled an appointed term on the Board of Publication of the national ELCA, and was re-elected to three successive terms, serving a total of 19 years on the board.

Also active in civic and community affairs, Charles was presented with the Distinguished Service Award as “the outstanding young man of the year” by the Fargo Jaycees in 1957. He was instrumental in establishing the Family Service Association of Fargo and Moorhead and served as president in the early years of the organization’s existence. He was chairman of the St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Trustees and served on the boards of the Fargo Park District; the Fargo Chamber of Commerce; the Fargo Moorhead Symphony; and was active in the Fargo Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow. Charles was president of the Fargo Country Club in 1971. He served on the steering committee of the C-400 Club of Concordia College and was a member of the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (NRI) board for 22 years.

Charles enjoyed traveling with Carol, skiing with his daughters and playing golf with his friends. Many of his most cherished times were those spent at Lake Melissa with family and friends.
Charles is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carol, daughters Kristiana Nelson (Rick), Kari Cusack (Jeff) and Kirsten Taylor (David) and grandchildren, Ian and Drew Taylor and Hailey and Devon Cusack and siblings Anne, Paul and Bruce.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Lutheran Foundation, F-M Symphony and Concordia C-400 Foundation.