Richard "Dick" Ertelt, 79, Fessenden, passed away Sunday, December 20, 2020 at the St. Aloisius Medical Center in Harvey.  Public visitation will be held Tuesday, December 29 from 9 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at the Nelson Funeral Home in Fessenden, followed by a private family service for immediate family only. This service will be live streamed on: BBC Parish - You Tube . CDC recommendations including social distancing, cleansing of hands, staying away if not feeling well and wearing a mask are required.  Burial will take place at St. Catherine's Cemetery in Valley City.   Online condolences may be shared at nelsonfuneralhomesnd.com.

Richard Joel Ertelt was born in Valley City, ND, on April 5, 1941 to Norbert and Mabel (Hannig) Ertelt. He attended grade and high school at St. Catherine School in Valley City and obtained his BS degree from Valley City State Teachers College where he played football. Upon graduation he taught and coached at Bowdon, ND for a few years. Teaching and coaching football at Fessenden, ND was where he spent most of his professional career. The Fessenden students loved "Coach" and he loved them. He retired in 2004.

Dick (or 'Tub' as his family called him) had many adventures in his younger years with his brother Bob who was a year and a half older. They worked at Farmotors, a machinery and car dealership owned by their father, through high school and college.

Dick loved to hunt and fish and by his own estimation was "a pretty good cook". He was a lover of North Dakota his entire life.

He was preceeded in death by his mother and father, his brother Bob and his wife Judy. He is survived by his sisters Mary Lou (Robert) Peters, Bemidj, MN and Lisa (Clare) Carlson, Bismarck, ND; nieces Barbara (Jerry Arnold) Peters, Denver, CO and Michele (Mike) Hoss, Pierre, SD; nephews Mitch (Kristy) Ertelt, Fargo, ND and Steve (Heidi) Peters, Scottsdale, AZ; and six great nieces and nephews. Also mourning his loss are his many buddies at the Bunker and Motorheads in Fessenden.

In lieu of flowers, as Dick would have wished, memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.