John Hastings

   John H. Hastings, 78, West Fargo, ND passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 after an eight-year battle with cancer.

   John was born on December 19, 1945, in Austin, MN to Harold (Red) and Mary (Swanson) Hastings. He grew up in the outdoors, spending his free time hunting, fishing, and playing baseball. He graduated from Austin High School in 1963.

   John was a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota, where he met his wife, Sheila Kenyon Hastings. They were married in St. Paul, MN on June 20, 1970, before settling in Grand Rapids, MN. There they spent 16 wonderful years building friendships, starting their family, and enjoying the Northwoods.

   In 1986, John and Sheila moved to Fargo, ND, where they spent the next 21 years raising their girls, building more friendships, and working. John worked at Midwest Industrial Machinery and later RDO Equipment. Of all his accomplishments, John was most proud of the relationships he enjoyed with the wonderful employees and customers he worked with. He considered them friends. John retired in 2007 and he and Sheila moved to Potato Lake near Park Rapids, MN. The Northwoods would always be the place John loved best.

   In retirement, John found more time to dedicate to what he truly enjoyed. He was active in the Potato Lake Association and SCORE. He found more time to hunt and fish, his favorite hobbies. Potato Lake brought new friends, places to golf, and the gift of quiet mornings on the porch listening to the loons call over a cup of coffee while making his famous, color-coded to-do lists. John was never idle. He and Sheila waited out the winters in Tucson, AZ, where he made more wonderful friends, played a lot of golf, shot trap, cheered on the Gopher Hockey Team from afar, and learned the art of stained glass. John and Sheila returned to North Dakota in 2018 to be closer to family and medical care. Once again, this brought new friends, time to golf and make stained glass, and most importantly to John, more time with his family. Above all, John loved spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends.

   John was a naturalist, at home in nature with a deep and abiding understanding of the world. He was a man of integrity, who led with generosity, humility, honor, kindness, and patience. He had the most amazing sense of humor and loved sharing a laugh with friends and strangers alike. John was a master at connecting with other people. He had the gift of creating relationships built on trust, respect, and genuine care. He always made time to listen and counsel, and he gave really good advice. John was a dedicated man. He also maintained the most organized garage you will likely ever see.

   John is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sheila; his daughters Anne Hastings Durbin (Dave Artz), Hilary Hastings Hutt (John), Melanie Hastings Unser (Mike); six grandchildren: Holly and Collin Durbin, Ryan and Lindsay Hutt, and Heidi and Thomas Unser; and his sister Sue (Hastings) Bohle. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Robert Hastings.

    A coffee and donut Open House will be held from 10:00am-12:00pm on January 4, 2025 at West Funeral Home in West Fargo. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Heather’s House Hospice of the Red River Valley, Roger Maris Cancer Center, or the memorial of your choice.

West Funeral Home & Life Tribute Center

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