Roland "Rolly" Kersten, age 75 of Garrison, ND, died March 17th, 2013 at a Bismarck hospital.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, March 22nd, 2013 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison. Interment will follow in the St. Nicholas Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Thursday at the First Congregational Church UCC in Garrison followed by a 7:00 PM prayer service.

Roland "Rolly" K. Kersten was born on March 1, 1938 in Creede, Colorado to Gib and Hattie Mae Ballard. He was adopted and raised by his aunt and uncle, Trula (Ballard) and William Kersten in South Haven, MN. He graduated from Annandale High School, Annandale, MN, and Minot State University, Minot, ND.

Rolly worked as a police officer in Brooklyn Center, MN, as Chief of Police in Velva, ND, and as a Deputy Sheriff in Grand Forks, ND. He also was a territory sales representative for Oliver, Harvestore, and LaGrange. Rolly worked in the construction trades when he lived in Velva and Grand Forks.

He was an avid outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed woodworking, furniture refinishing, antique collecting, and playing pinochle and cribbage.

He married Joan Huettl on November 22, 1997 in Grand Forks. They resided there until retiring to Garrison in 2009.

He is survived by this wife Joan of Garrison,his daughters: Sheryl (Del) Aleckson of Maple Lake, MN, Deborah (Eric) Douma of Minnetonka, MN, Michele (Eric) Craton of Cottage Grove, MN, Julie (Randy) Crist of Argusville, ND, and Janelle Kersten Mellick of Fargo, ND; 14 grandchildren; and numerous in-laws.


Arrangements with Thompson Funeral Home of Garrison