Jon Stork

Jon Michael Stork, the son of Patrick and Jeannine (Henderson) Stork was born on December 15, 1951 in Mason City, Iowa. He died at the age of 74 years on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, North Dakota.

Jon was raised in Clear Lake, Iowa, attended Newman Catholic High School in Mason City, then his senior year returned and graduated from Clear Lake High School. Growing up in Clear Lake, he mowed lawn for the local funeral home and in high school worked at the restaurant next to the Surf Ballroom, which both jobs sparked an interest in his future careers. He began his college education in pre-med at the University of Minnesota. While going to school, he worked for and became executive chef at the 3M Tartan Park Country Club. After he completed his education and received his Mortuary of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota, with high honors and top of the class, he began working for Mattson Funeral Home in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Later, he joined the team as a partner at Sturm Funeral Homes and managed in St. James, Minnesota until 1999 when he purchased Anderson Funeral Homes in Rugby and Towner, North Dakota. He then made his home and career in Rugby and at the funeral home alongside Sharon. Throughout his life and career in Rugby and Towner, he served many families which he considered to be his family and even better lifelong friends. He took pride in his work and felt it was quite an honor and privilege to be called upon to serve families. Funeral service was not a job, it was Jon’s life and passion. Jon married Sharon Erickson Anderson on August 15, 2020 at their lake home at Lake Metigoshe and officially welcoming Chad, Ryan and Hallie as family.

Jon was a man of many talents and filled with knowledge, whether it be sciences, finances or war history, if you had a question, he likely had an answer. He had a wit and humor like no other, you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth! He found complete peace sitting outside, listening to nature and looking out at a lake view…he could sit for hours, but his mind was always thinking. He loved his lake cottage at Strawberry Lake then his retirement home on Lake Metigoshe and the sound of his Chris-Craft boat. Jon enjoyed reading, a good meal, visiting, fast boat rides and classic cars. He was a member of Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby, the Rugby Eagle’s, was on the Persilla Watts Cemetery board, was a member of the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association and enjoyed many steak fry's at the Legion Hall. Jon will be remembered for many things, was a quiet, soft, kind soul who be dearly missed by those who knew and loved him. Jon, you will live on through us and the many stories we will tell as we have been blessed to have you in our lives.

Jon is survived by his wife, Sharon of Lake Metigoshe and their special dog, Evee; children, Shane and Max Stork and their families of the Twin Cities, Chad (Tiffany) Anderson of Rugby and their boys, Konnor, Noah and Blake, Ryan Anderson of Towner and his twins, Ryley and Kooper and Hallie Anderson (Ron Volk) of Rugby; brother, Jay (Melody) Stork of Athol, Idaho; sister, Shannon Nelson of St. Paul, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Janet Stork of Jacksonville, Florida; a close friend and nephew, Mark J Erickson and his family of Rugby; nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Kevin Stork and in-laws, Martha and Craig Elliott and Mark Erickson Sr.

Mass of Christian was held on Thursday, June 4 at 11:00 a.m. at Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby. Father Franklin Miller, Celebrant and Concelebrants, Father Michael Schommer and Father Tom Graner.