Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271583
Title: Fern J. Goldsberry
Date: 10/4/1920-3/27/2025
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 10/4/1920
Summary: Fern Goldsberry, 104, of Dickinson, ND, passed away March 27, 2025, at St. Luke’s Home in Dickinson, ND. A funeral service was held April 3, 2025, at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson. Burial was at Richland Memorial Cemetery, Sidney, MT. Fern Joyce Christenson, daughter of Phil and Emma (Keading) Christenson was born October 4, 1920, in Dickinson, where she lived until the age of 5. Her family then moved to a ranch on Beicegel Creek west of Grassy Butte. She was educated in country schools and was a true ranch girl at heart. Fern was her father’s right hand. She broke her own saddle horses and helped deliver mail in the Grassy Butte area with her father. In the early 1940s, Fern met Vernon Goldsberry and they were married on October 14, 1945, in Wibaux, MT. They purchased a ranch at the mouth of Beaver Creek on the Little Missouri River. In 1947, they sold that ranch and purchased another ranch near Squaw Gap where they lived until 1968. Fern and Vernon then moved to the original Flat Top Ranch, where they ranched cattle and raised Quarter Horses. It is here where they started their Quarter Horse Ranch business which became known throughout the United States and beyond. One of Fern’s proudest accomplishments was the two yearly horse sales held at their personal ranch. It was at these sales that Fern met people who became her lifelong friends. Fern was known to all by her ability to put a fast meal on the table for unexpected company. Vernon passed away in June of 1981. Fern then sold their ranch and retired to Dickinson. She was a member of AARP, RSVP, Sunset Senior Citizens, 50 Years in the Saddle, and the German Hungarian Lodge. In 1994, she received the R.S.V.P Appreciation Award and in 2004 she was honored to receive the ‘Roughrider Rodeo Rancher Award’ (which symbolizes someone who has kept up or portrayed the western way of life). “Fancy work," playing cards and cooking were her favorite pastimes. Fern truly loved her cabin in the Killdeer Mountains and she enjoyed volunteering and having lunch with her friends. She could be seen traveling twice a week to Killdeer where she cared for her mother, sister and brother who lived at Hilltop Home of Comfort. She did many volunteer activities. Her loving and caring qualities will be missed by all of her family and friends. Fern had moved into Hawk’s Point and eventually to St. Luke’s Home. Fern is survived by her nieces, Phyllis (Alvin) Dvorak, of Bismarck, ND, Bonnie Goldsberry, of Dickinson, Gerri Grayson, of Dickinson; nephew, Ron Goldsberry; Jerry Goldsberry; Jon Christenson; Phil Christenson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon; parents, Phil and Emma Christenson; sisters, Jeanette Woods, Phyllis Grayson; brothers, Donald Christenson, Barney Christenson; nephews, Bill Christenson, Loren Goldsberry, Phil Grayson; sister-in-law, Marie Connolly.
Red ID: FND_I_79079 Image ID: 525592 Image Notes: FND001 271583

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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