Richard Earl Beranek

Richard “Dick” Beranek of Fargo died Tuesday, October 15 at Eventide Fargo.

Richard Earl Beranek was born on November 12, 1934, in Watauga, SD, to Thomas and Ellen Beranek. He grew up in Aberdeen and McIntosh, SD and graduated from high school there in 1952. He received a degree in Printing and Rural Journalism from South Dakota State University in 1957. Dick entered the US Army in 1957 and was assigned to the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, NC, where he served until being discharged in 1959.

Following Army duty, Dick joined the staff of the Cavalier County Republican in Langdon as news editor. He remained there for 10 years, becoming managing editor and a junior partner with the late Edward Franta and Dick Forkner. Dick helped organize the Langdon Jaycees in 1961 and served as its first president.

On May 13, 1967, he married Marlene Brown in Staples, MN, and they moved to Aberdeen, SD, in 1969 when he became Associate Director of Administrative Services at Northern State College.

In 1970, they moved to Devils Lake where he became city editor of the Devils Lake Daily Journal and was later named managing editor, a position he held until going to Gettysburg, SD, in 1977. There, he was manager of three weekly newspapers: the Potter County News in Gettysburg, the West River Progress in Dupree, and the Eagle Butte News.

Dick was a copy editor at The Forum in Fargo from 1977 until 1986. From 1987 until retiring in 1996, he worked at Kaye’s Printing in Fargo. Since 1997, Dick was a seasonal employee of Interstate Seeds in West Fargo and worked in the sunflower research department there until 2006.

His newspaper activities included a number of journalistic affiliations. He is past president of the North Dakota Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi (the society of Professional Journalists), was president of the Associated Press Association in North Dakota and he also served on the board of directors of the North Dakota Press Association.

He and Marlene enjoyed Bison athletics and American Legion Baseball.

Dick and his wife Marlene lived in Fargo, where they were member of First Presbyterian Church.

Dick is survived by his wife, Marlene and one sister, Cathy (Vince) Jungwirth, Athol, SD.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Ed, and his sister, Mary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Ethos Hospice, the American Diabetes Association or First Presbyterian Church, Fargo, ND.

Funeral: 10:30 am, Monday, October 21 at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo.

Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Burial: Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, SD