Palmer William Forness

Palmer William Forness was born November 24, 1929 at St. Luke's Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota to Albert and Bertina Forness.

He cherished the memories of his childhood years growing up in Fargo and attended grade school at Horace Mann and Roosevelt Elementary and graduated from Oak Grove Lutheran High School in 1947.

Palmer worked with his dad at the Fargo Clinic. He also worked at the Service Drug on Broadway as a soda jerk and at the Bergseth Fish Company until being drafted and serving in the Army during the Korean War.

Upon returning home Palmer joined the Fargo Fire Department in 1954 and resumed his love of playing fast-pitch softball for Hektner Insurance.

Palmer was a member of Pontoppidan Lutheran Church where he was active over the years working with young people, leading Boy Scouts, and teaching Sunday school, vacation bible school, confirmation, and Bible studies.

In 1958 Palmer married Beulah Olson of Buxton, North Dakota at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church. They were married for 59 years and raised 7 children.

During his years on the Fire Department, Palmer, along with other firefighters, started the Firefighter's Doug Wendt Foundation to help burn victims and their families and also worked with Lutheran Brotherhood to develop a program called Friendly Firefly to help educate children about fire safety.

Palmer was also a part of the conception of Bonanzaville USA and enjoyed the preservation of history. He especially enjoyed the restoration of log cabins and preserving the history of the Fargo Fire Department. He restored a number of log cabins, including the Forness Cabin in memory of his father, and Fargo's First House. He also built a sod house and a replica fire hall. Palmer was very active in Pioneer Days and Christmas on the Prairie. He also served on the board of the Cass County Historical Society. He loved his community and was involved in many civic and community organizations.

After 26 years at the Fire Department and wanting to fulfill a desire to help young people, Palmer retired and began working with the Fargo Youth Commission and also developed a youth runaway program.

In the 1970's Palmer and Beulah moved to a farmstead outside of town where Palmer restored an old farmhouse. Their young family enjoyed the prairie, woodlands and creek, the huge garden and a menagerie of pets. They lived there for 25 years and enjoyed sharing their home with others.

Palmer believed childhood was special and one of the greatest joys of his life was his family. He built toboggan slides and sack swings, campfires and skating rinks, and a special cross on a hill. These were enjoyed not only by his own children but by a continual stream of area children from Oak Grove Lutheran High School and many area church youth groups, neighbors and extended family.

Palmer was involved in many conservation efforts over the years and enjoyed nature, wildlife, birds and long walks in all seasons.

Palmer and his family attended Maple Sheyenne Lutheran Church where he enjoyed being involved with the music and the youth activities.

In later years Palmer treasured portraying Santa Claus and sharing the spirit of Christmas with children throughout the area. He portrayed Santa at West Acres for nearly ten years. Palmer also had a Santa's Shop where he made many wooden trunks and toys.

Palmer enjoyed reading and writing and wrote a number of books about his cherished memories growing up in Fargo, North Dakota. He also wrote a history of the Fargo Fire Department. He was commonly seen at Hardee's working on his writing.

After the children were grown, Palmer and Beulah moved back to his childhood neighborhood of north Fargo.

Palmer passed away on July 5th. He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Bertina Forness.

Palmer is survived by his wife of 59 years, Beulah Forness, and their seven children, Julie (Robert) Newgard, Central City, IA, Joslin (Charlie) Bullock, Loveland, CO, Morgan (Kim) Forness, West Fargo, ND, Marshall (Denise) Forness, Moorhead, MN, Bradly (Sara) Forness, West Fargo, ND, Jason (Michelle) Forness, Fargo, ND and Jon (Stephanie) Forness, Fargo, ND; fifteen grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers and three sisters, Lloyd (Ramona) Forness, Charlotte Egeberg, Esther (Ted) Johnston, David Forness, and Beckey Dopkins; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of memorial gifts to the family, and to honor their father's memory and his heart's desire to "make a difference,” the family asks that everyone simply consider doing an act of kindness to make a positive difference in their family, place of work, neighborhood, community or world!