John DIESETH

1895 - 1980  (85 years)

• Name	John DIESETH
  Birth	27 Jun 1895	Norway
  Gender	Male
  Death	15 Jul 1980	Otter Tail County, Minnesota
  Burial	Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
  Notes	In the 1920 census, he was a boarder with John and Thea Saxhaug (Family #9850). He had come to the U.S. in 1916. His occupation was highway engineer. In the 1930 census, John and his family lived at 425 Summit Avenue W in Fergus Falls. John came to the U.S. in 1914. He was a road contractor. In the 1935/36 Fergus Falls city directory, he was Jno. Dieseth, of the firm Dieseth & Johnson, who lived with Ellen S. at 407 Mill S. He was in partnership with Edwin R Johnson and their road contracting business was located in the Durrell building. In the 1937/38 Fergus Falls city directory, he and Ellen live in the same place and John and Edwin Johnson have taken on an additional partner named Birger K. Soby. In the 1939/40 Fergus Falls city directory, the Dieseths’ home telephone number was 1076. The company is called the John Dieseth Company although Edwin R. Johnson and Birger K. Soby are still partners. His mother’s maiden name was Bjertingstad according to the death index. According to Judy, John was a civil engineer who was born and educated in Norway, but emigrated to the U.S. where he worked building roads in Minnesota and later wrote a book about his life. The Dieseths built a modern brick home on Union Avenue in Fergus Falls. He was the informant for his wife’s death certificate. At the time of his wife’s death, he lived at 230 West Vernon (Union?) in Fergus Falls. An obit: Services for John Dieseth, 85, who died Tuesday, July 15, at Lake Region Hospital, will be held Friday, July 18, at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, with Rev. John Westby officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. The son of Julius and Marie Dieseth, he was born June 27, 1895, at Hedermarken, Norway, the youngest of eight children. He was educated in the public schools of Norway, and attended Oslo Technical School. In 1914, he came to the United States and worked in the Midwest in various capacities until 1916. From 1916 to 1918, he was the Assistant Engineer with the State Highway Department at Waseca and LeCenter. He served as Assistant Highway Engineer with the State Highway Department at Fergus Falls from 1918 to 1921. On Feb. 16, he married Ellen Saxhaug of Fergus Falls. From 1921 to 1923, he was the County Engineer for Fergus Falls. In 1923, he founded the John Dieseth Construction Co. and was president of the company until his retirement in 1968. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1969. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Gerald (Joanne) Smith of Minnetonka; a son, Robert, of Fergus Falls; six grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild. Reviewal will be at the Olson Funeral Home only, beginning Thursday morning. Memorials preferred to the First Lutheran Foundation or to the charity of the donor's choice. An article in the Fergus Falls newspaper in January of 1966 mentions his retirement. It also mentions that Dieseth’s company built a portion of the AlCan highway in Alaska during World War II.
  Person ID	I14721	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	6 Jun 2012

  
  

  Family	Ellen Thora SAXHAUG,   b. 6 Sep 1892, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota d. 2 Jul 1969, Otter Tail County, Minnesota (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	16 Feb 1922	Otter Tail County, Minnesota
  Children	1. Robert Erling DIESETH,   b. 4 Jan 1927, Otter Tail County, Minnesota d. 2 Aug 2007, Iowa (Age 80 years)
  Family ID	F10909	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	5 Nov 2018