Melford Norris “Bud” Brekke, age 95, died at Altru Hospital in Devils Lake, ND. on Aug. 16, 2026.
Funeral Services for Bud will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Living Word Free Lutheran Church, Edmore, ND, with burial in the Prospect Cemetery. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the funeral service.
Melford Norris Brekke, better known as “Bud,” was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1931, to Carl and Margaret (Slettebo) Brekke. He was born in the house on the Brekke homestead farm, which his grandfather, Martin, had homesteaded in 1898 northwest of Edmore, ND. Bud had one younger sibling, his sister Berniece.
He attended Prospect Township School through the eighth grade and then began farming with his father, Carl. Although Bud did not have much formal education, he was a jack-of-all-trades who could fix almost anything-from washing machines to farm machinery, electrical work, woodworking, and more. He loved working with his hands.
Bud married Joan Hamann of Langdon, ND, on July 28, 1954. Bud and Joan farmed until 1991, when they moved to Fargo. He was then employed for several years as a handyman at Eventide nursing homes in Moorhead, MN.
Bud and Joan both loved the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. For 16 years, they pulled their fifth-wheel camper back and forth from North Dakota to Westlaco, and later to Pharr, Texas, where they spent their winters.
Due to health reasons, Bud and Joan spent the last 11 years in nursing homes in Devils Lake, Fargo, Moorhead, MN and then back in Devils Lake for the last four years.
Bud is survived by his wife, Joan, with whom he shared 72 years of marriage. He is also survived by his three children: son Mark (Cathy) Brekke of Bottineau, ND; son Scot (Pam) Brekke of Devils Lake, ND; and daughter Jayne (Dan) Olsgaard of Bismarck, ND; his sister Berniece Carlin of Fosston, MN: six grandchildren, Jess (Jessica) Brekke, Ryan (Melissa) Brekke, Kristen (Brent) Johnson, Eden (Bryce) Meyer, Jacob (Jen) Olsgaard, and Jared (Alexis) Olsgaard; and 20 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Margaret Brekke, and three grandsons, Wade Brekke, Jordan Olsgaard, and Abraham Olsgaard.