We started this blog to show the connections that we have up here in the North Country and how are paths “cross” under the “Cross”. Dean Hartley first got the inclination to be a Pastor when he was in Willmar Minnesota. Willmar is no stranger to these pages either. We covered the tornado and the recovery. Dean passed away unexpectedly and the shock will be around awhile. As in all things we are always under the Cross and we live in the promises of Christ. Dean preached the payment that Christ made for sins and the new life that we have in his name every Sunday. He lived that new life and he died as one who wanted that life for all.
Funeral Services will be held 10:00 A.M. Saturday, November 2nd at the Underwood School Gymnasium with Rev. Dr. James A. Baneck officiating. Interment will take place in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Edgeley, ND.
Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM Friday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Underwood. ND. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM Friday at the church. Visitation will continue one hour before services Saturday at the school.
Dean was born April 12, 1957 in Gackle, ND to Harold & Liane (Elhard) Hartley. He graduated from Jud High School in 1975. In October 1975, Dean entered the U.S. Air Force where he served for 6 years. On June 18, 1983, he was united in marriage to Susan Ross at the Zion Lutheran Church in Edgeley, ND.
Dean worked several years in office equipment repair in the Willmar, MN area until he felt a gentle but firm calling into the ministry. He then went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Concordia College of St. Paul, MN in 1997 and his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary of St. Louis, MO in 2001.
Dean’s first ministry call was to the dual parish of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Underwood and Trinity Lutheran Church of rural Pick City, ND. His third parish, St. John Lutheran Church of McClusky, was recently included and the parishes became known as the “Highway 200 Lutherans”.
Anyone who met Dean knew he was full of life and contained a passion for sharing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Dean is now celebrating with his Heavenly Father. It is those of us left behind that will miss him the most.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Hartley of Underwood; one son, Ross (Meghan) Hartley of Mandan; his mother, Liane Hartley of Jamestown; one sister, Dori Nordstrom of St. Francis, MN; three brothers, Dale (Chris) Hartley of Anderson, IN, Dan (Sharon) Hartley of West Fargo, & Dewey (Trudy) Hartley of Farmington, MN; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
