Albert James Bezdicek

Albert James Bezdicek, longtime St. John resident, passed away Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at the Courtyard in Colfax. He was 86. Funeral Services will be held Friday, May 19th, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of the Corbeill Funeral Home in Colfax with burial following in the Colfax Cemetery.

Albert was born July 23, 1936, in Dickinson, North Dakota, to Jim and Helen Pavlicek Bezdicek. He was the middle child and grew up with his older brother and younger sister. They grew up on a farm near New Hradec, North Dakota; about nine miles north of Dickinson. He attended rural schools from an early age and as a young teenager began delivering milk and working in a local bowling alley.

Albert served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958 during part of the Korean Conflict. Upon his honorable discharge from the military he married Loretta Ridl, a young girl he had known since he was six years old. They married on May 19, 1958, and would have celebrated 65 years on the day of Albert's funeral. They lived and worked on a farm for a few years before Albert became a parts man for a local Case dealer. He also continued working in the bowling alley and before long they started a family.

In 1963 the young family moved to Clarkston, Washington and he became the parts man for John Deere. In 1966 he started at Arrow Machinery near Colfax and retired from there after 35 years in 2001. They had made St. John their home since 1970.

Albert was a member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in St. John and the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Jay-Cee's for several years and bowled on leagues in Rosalia. He loved to fish; especially at Rock Lake and the family spent time camping. Albert liked to take his family back to North Dakota to visit relatives too. His wife Loretta passed away in 2000. Albert moved to Hill-Ray Plaza in Colfax in 2018 and enjoyed the company there until moving to The Courtyard just one month ago.

He is survived by his son Bryan (Carla) Bezdicek of St. John, daughters Lanae (Dennis) Hanson of Newcastle, Wyo., and Lana (Dick) Cloaninger, Colfax; by sevem grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren of whom he was so proud; and by his sister, Irene (Bob) Galster in Dickinson, North Dakota. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his brother, Edward, a grandson Caleb, and by his parents.

The family suggests memorial gifts in his memory be to the St. John Golf Course or to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in St. John. On-line guest book is at http://www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com

Corbeill Funeral Home of Colfax is in charge of the arrangements.