oksolflessnerhistory: 2025

Link here: https://www.willistonherald.com/obituaries/archives/carl-oksol-96/article_b1f7e830-5ecc-11e8-b830-03ce3322190c.html.

Carl Oksol, 96, of Williston, passed away at CHI Saint Alexius Medical Center in Williston on Sunday Afternoon, May 20, 2018.

His Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 25, 2018 at First Lutheran Church in Williston. Rev. Brian Knutson will officiate. Interment with military rites will take place in Riverview Cemetery following the funeral service.

Friends may call at Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home on Thursday, May 24 from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM and for the hour preceding the service at the church on Friday.

Carl Harold Oksol was born February 6, 1922 to Paul and Christine (Tangvald) Oksol. The fifth of five children, he was raised on the family sheep farm near Newell, South Dakota. Paul and Christine emigrated from Norway to America so Norwegian was spoken at home and English taught at school.

Carl, being the youngest, needed a way to get to school. A Hispanic family living down the road gave Carl a horse, who had not been well cared for. No one at the Oksols knew the horse’s name, so Carl’s mom Christine just took to calling him “X” and the appellation stuck. Carl took to “X” immediately. He made sure his stall was cleaned every day; he carried hay to the bin, and when he could afford it, even treated “X” to some oats.

During the course of several weeks, “X” improved remarkably. Carl’s mother had not been paying much attention to Carl and “X” and so was quite surprised when she looked out the window one day and saw Carl on a beautiful chestnut quarter horse. She hurried out the door and asked Carl where he had gotten the new horse. Carl explained that “This is “X”. He’s gotten all better!”

Carl turned six years old in 1928 and started school later that year. Carl remembers the walk to grade school being uphill both ways and often covered with snow, several feet deep.

By third grade, the older siblings were no longer available to walk Carl to school so he was on his own. His folks had him ride “X” to school.

Carl continued to attend school until he graduated from Newell High School in 1940. He graduated 39th in his class. Out of 40.

Carl attended college in 1940 and earned a degree in industrial engineering, which is impressive for someone who graduated second from the bottom of his class.

In 1942, someone was thinking about Carl. Uncle Sam. Carl received a letter in the mail with a return address from the US Selective Service. Carl did not open the envelope; he did not want to go into the army. Instead he visited the Belle Fourche Navy recruiting station. Carl was sworn into the United States Coast Guard, November 6, 1942. Carl was in the Coat Guard for four years on the USS Wakefield transporting American Troops to the theaters of war, and returning to the United States with American troops for reassignment or foreign troops as prisoners of war. In all, he completed 44 trips across the Atlantic, six across the Mediterranean, and four across the Pacific.

Carl married Ruth Flessner (whom he loved at first sight) on November 4, 1950. Bismarck, ND, was their first home and where children Bruce and Yvonne were born. Carl moved his family from Bismarck to Williston in August 1953, where Karla, Craig, Kathleen, and Jan were welcomed to the family.

While Carl was adjusting insurance claims in Williston ND, he learned to know Erling Manger of Manger Insurance. In December 1955, Carl bought one-half interest in the business and started working for Erling on January 1, 1956. Carl and Erling operated as a partnership for two years (1956 and 1957). Then in January 1958, Jim Leinen joined the agency.

Carl was very active in the community, being involved in Williston Rotary Club, the Bethel Foundation, Elks Club, Moose Club, First Lutheran Church (where he was especially involved in Lutefisk ticket sales) and his work as a Williams County Commissioner.

In 2015 Carl moved to a room at Bethel Lutheran Home, which he loved. He had a captive audience to whom he could tell all his stories over and over again.

Carl passed away on May 20, 2018 after living a “wonderful life”.

Carl is survived by his children, Bruce A Oksol (May) of Texas, Yvonne R Braun (Terry) of Minnesota, Karla Osborn (Bob) of Williston, Kathleen Oksol (Jorge Ochoa-Lions) of Arizona, Jan Marie Greenwald (Dave) of Oregon; daughter in law, Kathryn Oksol; Grandchildren, Eric Braun (Alicia), Kiri Nevin (Josh), Rob Osborn (Toby), Laura Oksol (Tim Moberg), Victoria Knox (Kyle) of Williston, Jennifer Poziembo (Greg), Anna Bernstein (Kevin), Sofia Ochoa, Cameron Greenwald, Connor Greenwald; Great-Grandchildren, Arianna, Olivia, Sophia, Oliver, Emelia, Jillian, Bennett, Caleb, Kaitlyn, Gemma. Ruth Oksol, living in Portland Oregon, was heartbroken to hear of Carl’s death.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, beloved son Craig Oksol and infant granddaughter Kallie Ann Braun.

Friends are welcome to visit www.eversoncoughlin.com to share memories of Carl or leave condolences for his family.