Ian Michael Lee Iverson, 18, of Hampden, ND, tragically passed away Friday, July 31, 2026. Services to honor Ian’s life, were held on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in the Starkweather Public School gym, 505 Main Street, Starkweather, ND, with visitation followed by the funeral. Burial was held at Storlie Cemetery in Hampden, ND, immediately after the service. Following the burial a gathering was held at the Hampden Gym where a meal was served.
Ian Michael Lee Iverson was born to Jared and Keysha (Brown) Iverson on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, in Minot, ND, at the Trinity Hospital. He was a treasure from the start and deeply loved the moment he came into this world. Ian was a very intelligent little boy always asking “why” and was quick to learn anything and everything despite being the typical shy kid he was. As he got older his shyness started to disappear and in its place was a sense of humor that knew no bounds that grew alongside his genuine love and kindness for everyone he met. As the years went on, he developed a profound interest in music. He taught himself how to play a variety of instruments including guitar, piano, trumpet, banjo, harmonica, synthesizer, the accordion, and even the fiddle among many others. Ian was always tapping a melody on anything and everything. He also developed an interest in fixing up old cars and getting them running again, sometimes even putting new tires on before the car was fixed. But, that was Ian, he knew he was going to get that car running no matter what and he led his life with that kind of positivity.
Ian attended Starkweather Public School throughout his elementary years and graduated in May 2026. During his years at Starkweather he gained a lot of friends and special relationships with everyone at the school. Ian was a part of the drama club, tried his hand in speech, and was in band and choir. His love and talent for music deepened his bond with his best friends, that he met in kindergarten, and they formed a band called Auto Drive. This very special group of people consisted of Ian, Anna, Sawyer, and Wyatt. Auto Drive went on to do summer tours of various places all around North Dakota and even a special event in Wisconsin. Their tours included many kinds of venues and with each one Ian and his bandmates made some incredible memories that lasted for five years. The band played their last concert in Maddock on Thursday, July 30, 2026, before they went their separate ways for future endeavors as three of the four in the group graduated high school with the fourth entering his senior year in high school. At this point in their lives these bandmates were no longer just best friends, they were family. If you knew Ian, the most important part of his life were his friends and family.
Ian was preceded in death by his great grandparents, Roy and Delores Summers, Kenneth Iverson, Emil and Esther Schmidt, Cecil Brown; his great uncles, Randy and Kevin Summers; and his cousin, Ruby Gustafson.
Ian is survived by his parents, Jared and Keysha Iverson; his siblings Lia and Mason Iverson; great grandparents, Velma Iverson and Victoria Brown; grandparents, Nick and Michele Iverson and Kevin and Crystal Brown; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Arrangements by Aaker Funeral Home, Lakota, ND.