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John M Kelsch

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Birth	:	1 Dec 1917 Logan County, North Dakota, USA
Death	:	27 Nov 2013 Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, California, USA
Burial	:	Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, Riverside County, USA
Coordinate	:	33.8198400, -116.4422900
Description	:	John M. Kelsch, age 95, died Wednesday November 27 at Rancho Mirage, California. John was born December 1, 1917 in Napoleon, North Dakota. He is preceded in death by his parents Andreas and Elizabeth Kelsch who came to America from the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea and from Odessa, Russia in 1898, where their ancestors farmed the land since 1805. His three brothers and two sisters also preceded him in death. His wife of nearly fifty years, Katherine, died in 2001. Mr. Kelsch is survived by two sons; and two grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews. Read More	John M. Kelsch, age 95, died Wednesday November 27 at Rancho Mirage, California. John was born December 1, 1917 in Napoleon, North Dakota. He is preceded in death by his parents Andreas and Elizabeth Kelsch who came to America from the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea and from Odessa, Russia in 1898, where their ancestors farmed the land since 1805. His three brothers and two sisters also preceded him in death. His wife of nearly fifty years, Katherine, died in 2001. Mr. Kelsch is survived by two sons; and two grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews. John fought the height of the Great Depression. He jumped freight trains from North Dakota to California at age 16 in 1933. While working in Santa Monica, he graduated from Whittier High School in 1935 and then returned to North Dakota. He co-owned and managed the Sunshine Ranch, 5,457 contiguous acres 40 miles east of Bismarck, North Dakota at Steele from 1935 until 1969 with his father. John's sister Margaret and brother-in-law Alton Edwards managed the day-to-day operations. The ranch produced some of the nations finest pure-bred Hereford cattle. In 1946, operators purchased 'Real Silver Domino,' famed Texas bull for the highest sum ever paid at the time for an animal of any breed in North Dakota. Mr. Kelsch became one of the early pioneers in the North Dakota oil industry with his partner Charles Donlin soon after oil was discovered at Tioga in 1951. Together, they formed Keldon Oil Company which was traded on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. John was a VIP guest at President Eisenhower's first inauguration where he had a conversation with then Senator John Kennedy. In October 1956, Louis W. Hill, Jr. (grandson of James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railway), Mr. Kelsch and Joseph Bachmeier saved an 1,800 pound work horse named "Buster' from drowning, after the animal became mired in the cold water of the Mouse River. John and his friends were awarded special citations from the American Humane Association. In 1955, he married Katherine Dahl of Crookston, Minnesota. After a six week honeymoon in South America, they settled in Bismarck to raise their family. While in South America, John and Katherine had a private audience with exiled President Juan Peron of Argentina. Mr. Kelsch donated the land and a monument for a cemetery to St. Francis Catholic Church at Steele. He supervised work on the grounds, and dedicated the cemetery in memory of his parents. He always enjoyed life today - never waiting for tomorrow, and traveled the world with his wife Katherine and children -taking many trips to Europe, Russia, South America, China, Alaska and Hawaii. "Oh, Sunshine Ranch, with your vast acre expanse, keep up the good work to make things advance. With a sunshine outlook, we are looking ahead, and don't let the sun catch you crying."

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John M Kelsch's memorial?
John M Kelsch's memorial is located at: Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, Riverside County, USA.
When did John M Kelsch death?
John M Kelsch death on 27 Nov 2013 in Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, California, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John M Kelsch's memorial?
Latitude: 33.8198400
Longitude: -116.4422900

Family Members:

Parent

Siblings

George Clement Kelsch

(1910 - 2008)

Margaret Delores Kelsch Edwards

(1915 - 1989)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

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Coordinate: 33.8198400, -116.4422900

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23. Saint Boniface Indian School Cemetery
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