Idamarie Kolpack

She was the best editor in the Kolpack family, an English teacher who would scold her kids around the dinner table for improper use of grammar. Idamarie Kolpack, 89, died Nov. 6, 2013, surrounded by articulate people.

She was born on May 28, 1924, to Otto and Alma Arndt in Staples, Minn., and always referred to herself as daddy’s girl who “didn’t have to eat it if she didn’t want to.” She was a picky eater, except for chicken. She ate chicken wings before chicken wings were cool.
She supported her sons in everything they did. She loved the First Congregational Church, serving as teacher and school superintendent and as editor of her beloved church newsletter, The Becoming.

She was proud her two sons followed her husband, Ed, in the newspaper business, but told everybody the best writer in the family was her oldest son, a computer programmer and engineer in Seattle. She also had three favorite daughters-in-law.
She was a diehard Bison fan, who wore Ed’s NDSU women’s basketball jacket proudly and listened to every football and basketball game on radio.

She looked forward to the annual Kolpack Christmas Party. When she decided to sell the family home, she purchased a condominium solely because it had a party room in the basement that she used once a year.

She liked to make people laugh. She shared her humor with her friends at Edgewood Vista, except when the Bean Bag team showed a lack of enthusiasm.
Her desire to recognize and honor our nation’s veterans became a passion at Edgewood Vista, where she spearheaded programs on Veterans Day and Memorial Day to acknowledge those who served.

Appropriately, she will be laid to rest on Veterans Day.

She is survived by three sons: Bruce (Laura), Bellevue, Wash., Dave (Denise), Fargo; and Jeff (Ruby), Fargo; four grandchildren: Leah LaBounty, Fargo; Ben LaBounty, Denver, Colo.; Andrew Bjornson, Grand Forks; and Brandt Kolpack, Fargo; sisters Evelyn Doucette, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.; Norma (Ralph), Kulink, Salem, Ore.; and Marianne (Ed), Hoeykens, Blaine, Minn., nieces and nephews; and her granddogs, Quinn, Daniel and Bailey.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, who has been waiting for 20 years to join her on a duet of “How Great Thou Art;” her parents, Otto and Alma; and a brother, Buddy.

Memorials to First Congregational Church or any veterans’ organization.