Bernard "Barney" Danielson

Bernard “Barney” Danielson, 89, Larimore, ND passed away peacefully 25 December 2019 at The Wealshire of Medina, MN.

Bernard was born February 20th, 1930 in a one room, homestead shack, during a violent snow storm in Liberty Township, Van Hook, ND to Carl and Ellen (Johannsen) Danielson. That same Spring, they moved to a developed farm in Parshall Township.

Bernard attended school in a one room country school thru the eighth grade.  Upon   graduation, he attended and graduated from high school in Van Hook, ND in 1948.  He worked at home and for local farmers part time during his high school years to build up capital to attend college at NDSCS. He followed the harvest, traveling to Hobart, Oklahoma in 1948.  This venture took him thru Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and ended up in Western North Dakota.

On September 23, 1951, he was united in marriage to Ardelle Huwe at Lutheran Brethren Synod in Fergus Falls MN.  On October 2nd, Bernard pressed by the draft, enlisted in the United States Air Force. After graduation from basic training.  He was re-assigned for his first assignment to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.  His duties included assisting aircraft mechanics and as a gunner on a B-29 and he was also assigned clerical duties working directly for the unit Maintenance Officer and the Line Chief.  Ardelle was exceptionally well fitted and adjusted well to the changes in environments and the stresses of the many moves and the challenges of adapting to the many challenges of relocating, school changes and the travels with two to four children.  Several trips to Texas, Hawaii, Turkey and North Dakota were the more lengthy accompanied stays.

Bernard served overseas tours as an Electronics Technician and First Sergeant at locations in Johnston Island, North Africa, England, Hawaii, Turkey and the USA.  Many extended TDY tours to Korea, Viet Nam, Japan and shorter TDY tours to nearly every Air Force location in the Pacific and several more in Europe.  He served stateside at bases located in Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Mississippi, Virginia and North Dakota.

He took his discharge from active duty in February 1956.  He returned to ND for a short period of time, then returned to Perham, MN for employment at the Perham Enterprise Bulletin.  A severe snow storm convinced him to head for warmer climates.  He re-enlisted on the 10th day of April and headed to Denver, Colorado.  He was re-assigned as a First Sergeant to Johnston Island, 700 miles SW of Hawaii.  Upon completion of this tour, he was assigned to San Antonio, Lackland AFB as a Basic Training Instructor.  After four and a half years, he now retrained into the cryptographic electronics field.  A short tour in Taiwan, and additional training, He was re-assigned to Karamursel AFB, Turkey.   After three years, He was returned to San Antonio, TX, Medina AF Station as an Electronics equipment restore/rehab supervisor.  After two years, here, He was re-assigned to Wheeler AFB, Honolulu, Hawaii.  From this assignment, He spent two week to 90 day TDY tours to nearly every AFB and AF site in the Pacific.  Korea and Viet Nam were no exceptions.  After this three-year assignment, He was returned to San Antonio, Kelly, AFB as an electronics installation Manager for the south-central state area.  Installation teams were managed and sent to install or modify/update communication systems in various parts of Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nevada, and New Mexico.

SMSGT Bernard at this time had approximately 25 years of service and now he was thinking of a final assignment for retirement.  A native of North Dakota and with both his aged mother and mother-in-law were from this area, he applied for re-assignment to any opening as a First Sergeant in these Northern tier states.  After much negotiation, and with a Senator’s assistance, he applied for Minot AFB, but was offered Grand Forks AFB as this base was considered the least desirable and the hardest to fill choice. He smiled. Barney and Ardelle relocated to Arvilla, ND.

After 32 years of military service he retired and was discharged, he purchased five acres near Larimore, ND where he built a new home, added a large pole barn, added a small animal barn, fenced the property, and landscaped and planted over a thousand trees.  He lived there until March 2019 when he relocated to The Wealshire of Medina, MN.

In local business, Bernard purchased the The Hitching Post bar in Arvilla. He sold it after a short period of time and during this period purchased the Arvilla Elementary School.  With an excellent qualified local crew, he remodeled and converted the school to apartments.  After many years of excellent business, he sold the property.   He also purchased several older homes, located them as rentals on this same location, remodeled and sold them also.  He was also involved in several farming ownership/management operations, in both ND and MN.

Bernard is a member of the Shriners, over 50-year member of the Masons, over 30-year member of the Lions, Lifetime member of the Legion, the VFW, and the AMVETS.

Bernard is survived by daughter Deborah (David) Phillips, North Carolina; son Gary (Phyllis) Danielson Arkansas; daughter Carlene Ballieu, Florida; 10 grandchildren, several great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and sister, Verna (Arlyn deceased) Anfinrud, Fargo, ND.

He was preceded in death by his wife Ardelle, daughter Fay Rieger, infant son Fritz, parents Carl and Ellen, sister Ardis (James) Goodness, brother Norman (Georgia).

****The Memorial Services have been rescheduled for Saturday, June 6, at 10:00 a.m. at the New Testament Baptist Church, 701 E Front Street, Larimore, ND 58251. The Burial Service will follow at the grave site located at the Van Hook Rural Cemetery near Parshall, ND.