William Promersberger

William J. Promersberger died Thursday, April 10, 2008 at the MeritCare Palliative Care Hospital in Fargo, ND at the age of 95. The son of John and Elizabeth (Hauner) Promersberger, Bill was born May 28, 1912 in a 3-room log home his father built from lumber cleared to homestead in the thick, northern woods outside of Littlefork, Minnesota. He attended school in Littlefork, and upon graduating, enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering in 1935. Following graduation, Bill moved to Crookston, MN where he taught an agricultural short course at Northwest School of Agriculture for two years. In 1939 he married Ann Wick from Mizpah, MN, at which time they moved to Fargo where he accepted a position as professor of agricultural engineering at NDAC (now NDSU). In 1940 he took a leave of absence to attend graduate school at Kansas State University where he received his Masters degree. While at Kansas he received a call from NDAC asking him to become chairman of the agricultural engineering department upon his return from graduate school. In 1941 he accepted the offer and remained the chairman of the department for 38 years. During the 1965-1966 academic year, Bill served as a visiting professor at University College in Dublin, Ireland. In 1972, he was nominated by fellow faculty members and selected as the NDSU Faculty Lecturer, which is an award presented "to give recognition to distinguished academic achievements of resident faculty members of NDSU." In addition to his duties at NDSU, Bill was the senior author of "Modern Farm Power," a vocational agriculture textbook widely used in technical high schools and junior colleges throughout the country. He retired in 1979. Bill was a life-long member of ASAE (American Society of Agricultural Engineers) where he was elected a "fellow" in 1972. In 1979 ASAE awarded him the prestigious Massey Ferguson Power and Machinery award. He was a member of First Lutheran Church, and a charter member of the Golden K Kiwanis Club. Bill and his wife, Ann, would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary June 9, of this year. In addition to Ann, he is survived by his son, Ken (Jan) Promersberger; daughter, Nancy Novak; grandchildren, Tom Promersberger (special friend Sarah Koenig), Eric (Trish) Promersberger, Heather (Tim) Rahn, and Seth (Heather) Novak. He is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Austin, Anna and Abby Promersberger; Cody Rahn and Madelyn Novak. Bill was preceded in death by his daughter, Carol Ann, who was five years old when she died in 1950. He was also preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Tom Novak; brother, Hans Promersberger; and sisters, Elizabeth Matchey and Francis Bray. Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 14 at First Lutheran Church, 619 North Broadway, Fargo. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the NDSU Development Foundation for a scholarship for Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering students, Hospice of the Red River Valley, or a charity of donor's choice.