John Fiddler

John W. Fiddler passed away April 6, 2008, at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota. John “Jack” Fiddler was born June 12, 1920, at home on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation near Belcourt, North Dakota. He was the eldest son of Moses Fiddler and Florence Azure Fiddler. He attended several schools in the state and graduated high school in Park River, North Dakota. After high school, Jack served in the Merchant Marine during World War II, continued his education, and worked at many different jobs, varying from carpentry, auto parts supply, and upholstery. In the latter part of his career, Jack was a vocational rehabilitation specialist for the state of North Dakota, a job he held until his retirement. Jack’s deepest passion and social involvement came from his belief in self-determined tribal education for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. With many others, Jack worked tirelessly to establish Turtle Mountain Community College. The college was chartered by the tribe in 1972, and is one of the six original tribal colleges started in the early 1970’s. As such, it is one of the charter members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, a national organization founded to support the work of the tribal colleges and universities and the national movement for tribal self-determination. From its humble beginnings in the basement of an abandoned government building to the new 123-acre, state of the art campus, Turtle Mountain Community College has become an integral part of the tribe as it strives to improve all levels of educational achievement of tribal members and the public and private economic sustainability of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Jack served as president of the Board of Trustees beginning in 1973 and was a member of the board until his death. His final dream for the school was the 1000 seat auditorium which opened in 2003. Jack was thrilled to be able to dedicate the grand piano by performing some of the jazz piano music he had played his entire life. Jack had lived in Fargo, North Dakota for ten years. While in Fargo, he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren, attending baseball games to cheer on the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, and attending the jazz concerts of the Jazz Arts Group of Fargo-Moorhead. A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held Friday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church in Belcourt, North Dakota. A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 p.m. at Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, North Dakota. The family asks that memorials be sent to the Jazz-Arts Group of Fargo-Moorhead and the MeritCare Foundation. A memorial scholarship will also be established at Turtle Mountain Community College.