Jon Mielke

Jon Helmuth Mielke was born in Grand Forks, ND, on March 8, 1952. He died in Minneapolis, MN on February 28, 2023 on the age of 70.

Jon grew up in Grafton, ND, the son of Lester and Rose (Luedtke) Mielke. He obtained his Bachelor’s Diploma in Enterprise Administration from the College of North Dakota in 1974 and his Grasp’s Diploma in Public Administration from UND in 1981. After school, Jon lived and labored in Grafton from 1974 to 1975. He labored for town of Minot from 1975 till 1978, when he moved to Bismarck. He labored for the North Dakota Freeway Division from 1978 to 1980 and for the North Dakota Public Service Fee from 1980 to 2004. He served because the PSC’s chief government officer from 1994 to 2004. He labored as a transportation planner for the Higher Nice Plains Transportation Institute from 2004 to 2015. In 2004 he was awarded the John Agrey Award for his vital contributions to the state of North Dakota by his involvement in transportation.

Jon married Carol Ann Polivka on Might 26, 1979. They had been blessed with two fantastic kids, Sarah Elizabeth and Matthew Lester. Jon and Carol had been foster dad and mom for 20 years and fostered over 50 kids, primarily infants. Many of those kids had been with them long-term and have become members of their household. Jon and Carol had been named North Dakota Foster Dad and mom of the Yr in 2006.

Jon was an avid roller. He was a founding member of Bismarck’s Capital Curling Membership and a state males’s and senior champion. He coached junior and grownup groups at quite a few nationwide occasions, was a nationwide degree teacher, and served as Chairperson for the 2002 World Curling Championship in Bismarck. In 2012 he was inducted into the US Curling Corridor of Fame. He was a constitution member of Charity Lutheran Church in Bismarck and served in quite a few capacities together with vice chairman and treasurer.

In 2003, Jon was discovered to have pulmonary fibrosis and was subsequently recognized with systemic sclerosis which led to critical cardiac points. Regardless of these diagnoses, the next years had been crammed with numerous blessings together with foster parenting, childrens’ graduations from legislation college and medical college and their marriages to fantastic spouses, the delivery of his grandchildren, travels to Europe, Kenya, and Korea, a curling goodwill tour of Scotland, and the endless love and devotion of his spouse, Carol. It was a beautiful life.

Jon is survived by his spouse, Carol, his daughter Sarah and her husband Chris (Tatum), his son Matt and his spouse Tessa, grandchildren Rosie, Naomi, Jacob, Luke, Alec, and Ben, and siblings Norma Kotyk and Chuck Mielke. He was preceded in demise by his dad and mom and siblings Mary Ann Lindell, Marvin Mielke, and Marlene Gorder. He donated his physique to the College of North Dakota Medical College to coach future well being professionals.

A memorial service can be held at Charity Lutheran Church (120 Aspen Ave, Bismarck) on Friday, March tenth at 3:00 p.m. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, Jon may be honored by donating to the North Dakota Curling Basis in assist of youth curling (ship checks to 165 E Independence Ave, Bismarck, ND 58503 or Venmo @MattMielke), Nexus-PATH Basis in assist of ND foster kids (nexusfamilyhealing.org), or the College of North Dakota Enterprise College (undalumni.org/ncobpa).