Christian Gilman Bothun, Jr.

Memorial Service: https://vimeo.com/event/4910866

Tribute Video: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/7XX993Q4S9RC7S3C

Christian Gilman Bothun Jr., 89, of Fargo, ND passed away on February 5, 2025. He was born in Calvin, ND on April 8, 1935 to Chris and Gladys Bothun. He graduated from Calvin High School in 1953 with a class size of four people. In 1954 Chris joined the U.S. Air Force. He served 2½ years in Japan and Las Vegas. In Japan he worked in a training unit that taught Japanese soldiers to fly the Air Force F-86.

Upon leaving the Air Force, Chris attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, but after deciding that visiting his future wife, Maryann, was more important, he moved to Langdon, ND. Chris married Maryann on May 12, 1959, and they had three children.

Chris moved his family to Minneapolis in 1960, where he worked for the LaMaur Corporation. Chris then started working for the US Postal Service in Minneapolis in 1965. In 1969, Chris and his family moved to Viking, MN, where they farmed and milked cows. Chris also worked as a postal clerk in Thief River Falls, MN until 1978. He finished his 27-year career with the US Postal Service as the postmaster in LaMoure, ND, retiring in 1992.

After retiring, Chris and Maryann moved to Fargo to be closer to family. Chris worked at Stop-N-Go as a clerk and Luther Family Ford as a courtesy driver for many years. Some of Chris's hobbies included golf, bowling, deer hunting and running around the state with Maryann to help her sell her crafts. Another favorite activity for Chris was spending time watching his grandchildren's events. He was also an usher at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo, and every Sunday night was spent having family dinners at Frank and Linda's house with the grandchildren and fur babies.

Chris is survived by his children, Deb (Bruce) Rokke of Nekoosa, WI, Rick (Sharon) Bothun of Owatonna, MN and Linda (Frank) Froysland of Fargo. Grandchildren are Nick (Tiffany) Rokke, Lee (Kaylee) Rokke, Mike (Katie) Bothun, Sara (Ricky) Kuhn, Andrea (Jacob) Schreiner, Matthew Bothun, Toni Froysland, Kaycee Froysland (Derrick Morris) and Jaime (Taylor Persche) Froysland. Chris also had six great-grandchildren: Emery Kuhn, Cooper Kuhn, Riley Kuhn, Adley Kuhn, Greyson Bothun and Ainsley Bothun. He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and his two brothers, Roy Bothun and James Bothun. We extend a special thank-you to his caregivers at Evergreens in Fargo and Moorhead.

Services will be held at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home in Fargo on Monday, February 10 at 11:00 with a visitation starting at 10:00. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Red River Valley or to Ecumen Evergreens. The service will also be livestreamed on the Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home website.