Bert Fornshell

Bert L. Fornshell, age 86, of Pillager, passed away at his home, following a courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by his loving family. Funeral Services will be 1:00 PM Thursday, August 20, 2009, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pillager. Friends and relatives are invited to gather from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Wednesday at the Brenny Funeral Chapel Reception Center in Baxter and also for one hour prior to services at the Church on Thursday. Interment with Military Honors will be in Wildwood Cemetery at Pillager following services.
Bert Lavern Fornshell was born on November 8, 1922, in Woodworth, ND, the son of James and Johanna (Buskeness) Fornshell. Bert attended Pillager School until he joined the Navy in 1942. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned home to Pillager and on September 18, 1948, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Eppelsheimer in First Lutheran Church in Brainerd. Bert was employed by Potlatch in Brainerd for 18 years until retirement. He enjoyed staying busy with his hobby farm, which included raising birds, horses, and Dalmatians. He also enjoyed woodworking and tending to his many collections, but most of all Bert enjoyed watching birds, puttering in his workshop, and spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Johanna; brothers, Curt, Leonard, Raymond, Charles, and Darald; sisters, Leona, Lenora, Ida, and Viola. Bert is survived by his loving wife Dorothy of 60 years; children, son, Randy (Bonnie) Fornshell of Milltown, WI, daughters, Debbie (Keith) Skeesick of Motley, MN, and Cindy (Arlo Rohl) Barnett of Pillager, MN; grandchildren, Tania (Darin) Bjornson, Kandi (Matthew) Gardner, Sara (Chris) Nagel, Nathan Brunzel-Rohl, Kristopher Mertens, Gina (Aric) Tourville, Kylie Skeesick, and Kody Skeesick; great grandchildren, Josh, Alexis, Hunter, Tanner, Tyler, Levi, Kassie, Grace, Lily, and Jack; 2 sisters, Alta (Bud) Loucks and Betty Farber; sisters-in-law, Jeanette Fornshell and Lorraine Fornshell; and brother-in-law, Duane (Delores) Eppelsheimer.