Jacob M Erhardt

Jack Erhardt passed from this life Jan. 12, 2017, at his home in Goodyear, Ariz. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Jack was born April 29, 1933, near Center. He was one of 12 children born to Kasper and Lokraze Messer Erhardt. He attended schools in the Center area. He married Marcella Barnhardt Oct. 12, 1953. She passed away April 27, 1998. Jack worked at Circle Foods in Mandan as a butcher for five years. He then entered the Army and served at Fort Lewis Washington for two years. He returned to the Mandan area and farmed a few years then went into the construction business. He was employed with Miller Insulation until going to work in the power plants as a Pipe Insulator. He worked power outages until his retirement in 2010.

Jack married Esther Barth Hilfer in Bismarck, on Nov. 30, 2001. They traveled to many different states including the countries of Canada and Mexico. They went on cruises to the Panama Canal, Hawaii, and Mexico. They wintered in Yuma, Ariz., for nine years. After his retirement in 2010 they moved to Goodyear.

Jack was a kind, quiet, soft spoken gentleman who cared deeply about his Catholic faith. He was an usher at St Joseph’s church for many years as he also was in Goodyear at St. John Vianney. He often attended daily morning mass. He did volunteer work for the Bismarck Catholic Diocese. He was an active member of the Elks, Eagles, and Moose where he held many offices. He was an avid lover, player, and manager of local baseball teams and was a long time follower of the Minnesota Twins and, after moving to Arizona, the Diamondbacks.

Jack is survived by four sons and their wives, Rocky (Patty), Rodney (Pam), Russell (Betty), and Roger (Karla), all of Mandan; a daughter, Ramona, Mandan; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; his two stepsons and their wives, Brent (Becky) Hilfer, Mandan, and Stuart (Shelli) Hilfer, Goodyear, Ariz.; three step-daughters, Mary (Bruce) Nelson, Avondale, Ariz., Tracy Hilfer (Darrell Woods), Little Rock, Ark., and Laura (Corey) Beckler, Minneapolis; eight step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren. Jack also leaves a sister, Lu (Chris) Silbernagel, Bismarck; his brothers, Matt (Jo), Center, and Kasper (Linda), Grand Forks; a stepbrother, Joe (Betty) Pfeiler; and his step-sisters-in-law, Bev Kokkeler, Rose Schlosser, and Urban and Irene Gratz, Shirley Erhardt and Vivian Erhardt.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Marcella; an infant son, James; his sisters, Veronica and Frances Schulte, Rose Barth, Margaret Wetsch, and Otillia; his brothers, Ray, Mike and Connie, and infant Kasper; his stepbrothers, Bill, Ted, John, Ray and Clem Kokkeler, Adam and Joe Barnhardt; three great-grandhildren, Abigail, Angel and Kylie Erhardt; and two step-grandchildren, Travis Hilfer and Jennifer Dahl.