Maurice Jerome Skar

Maurice J. Skar, 100, of Aitkin, Minnesota, died on December 3, 2017, at his home with family by his bedside. He was born on April 27, 1917 in Deep, North Dakota, (near Upham) son of John and Anna Skar.

Maurice grew up on a homestead farm with a sister and three brothers. After graduation from high school, he went to the North Dakota School of Forestry in Bottineau, North Dakota, and earned a BA degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., in 1942. After a short teaching for a few months, he entered the Army.

On April 17, 1943 he married Doris Orke, whom he met in Bottineau in 1938. The couple lived in Scottsbluff, Nebraska until Maurice was shipped to France where he was stationed for the duration of the war.

After the war, Maurice taught high school for a year before he returned to Bottineau, where he owned a house. He worked at the Ford garage. In 1955 Maurice returned to teaching in Baudette, Minnesota, where he was Boy Scout master and served on the city council.

In 1968 Maurice and his family moved to Aitkin, Minnesota, where he taught high school until he retired in 1982. After retirement he served as janitor for First Lutheran Church for many years. Throughout his life, he was active in the Lutheran Church and community activities.

Maurice was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Doris, and his sister and three brothers.

He is survived by ten sons and daughters; son David and partner Kathy Lindberg, son Sherwin and wife Kathy Jones, son Glen and wife Marg, son Douglas and wife Cathy, daughter Yvonne Eide and husband Randy, son Duane and wife Carmel, daughter Blanche Cathcart and husband Bill, son Lowell and wife Pornrat (Oui) Damrhung, son Alden and wife Tracy, and daughter Melanie Hansen and husband Dan, 17 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Maurice donated his body to the bequest program at the University of Minnesota.