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Gordon Dale Isaak 1936-2018

Gordon Dale Isaak Sr., 82, Pick City, passed away Sept. 21, 2018. Services will be held at 10 a.m. CDT Friday, Oct. 12, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Pick City, with the Rev. Kirk Peters and the Rev. Russ Finch officiating. Burial will follow at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Pick City. Lunch and fellowship will follow at Knights Bar and Grill, Riverdale.

Gordon was born on June 20, 1936, in Hazen, to German-Russian parents, Fred P. Isaak and Emma Machau. Gordon grew up on the family homestead located along the Missouri River with his three sisters, Margie, Wilma, and DyAnn. He attended country school until the eighth grade and Hazen High School from 1950 to 1954. During that time, he stayed at the home of his father's younger brother, uncle, Herb Isaak, and aunt, Leah Isaak. Following graduation in 1954, Gordon attended one year at the North Dakota State University in Fargo. He met Clara Ann Vogel at a dance in New Salem, and they got married on Aug. 30, 1956. They had nine children, Frederick, Gordon Junior, James, Bruce, Debra, Lisa, Todd, Melissa, and Kari. He worked on the building of the Garrison and Oahe dams along the Missouri River. The family lived in Highmore and Fort Pierre, S.D.

Gordon was a skilled carpenter millwright. He worked at various power plants in North Dakota until the age of 77, well past retirement age. He was well respected in this field of work. After his father died in 1965, he began farming his father’s homestead. Farming became the love of his life, and he farmed until his death.

He was divorced from his first wife in 1978. He met his second wife, Marion Mayes née Gelsinger, at an Anavet Legion Dart tournament in Regina, Canada. They married on his family farm in 1983, enlarging Gordon's family in to include Marion’s daughter Connie and her three sons Patrick, Gary and Guy. While farming was the love of his life, he was also a woodworker. He would look at any downed trees as potential material for making furniture, pans, or bowls out of wood. He was an excellent mechanic, as well as a welder and could almost fix anything that had an engine. He inherited his hard-working initiative from his family. He also enjoyed fishing, gardening, making sausage, which along with his pickles were well-known as the best in Mercer County. He enjoyed playing card games including pinochle, cribbage, and whist. He was also quite devoted to his wife, Marion. When she started having symptoms of dementia and moved into a dementia unit, Gordon would see her on a weekly basis.

Gordon’s pet dog, Daisy, was his constant companion on the farm for the past couple of years. Our father had a strong faith and served as an elder at Trinity Lutheran Church and was a long time member.

He is survived by his wife, Marion Isaak; two sisters, Margie Miller and Dyann (Ivan) Ellwein; three sons, Dr. Frederick (Beth) Isaak, Bruce Isaak, and Todd (Michelle) Isaak; four daughters, Debra Isaak, Lisa (Chris) Richter, Melissa Isaak, and Kari (Mike) Isaak-Weigman; one step-daughter, Connie Mayes; two stepsons, Patrick Mayes and Guy Mayes; and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, James and Gordon Jr.; one stepson, Gary; and one sister, Wilma Lang.

In lieu of flowers, Gordon has asked that any donations to be given to Trinity Lutheran Church.

~Source: Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen (Submitted by S. Sailer)