The funeral services for Matt Tachenko, 94, Killdeer, are at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, at the St. John's Lutheran Church, Killdeer.
Burial is in the Grassy Butte Seventh Day Adventist Church Cemetery.
Matt passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 at his daughter's home in Hayden, Idaho.
Matt Tachenko was born on Oct. 20, 1913, during what was later called "The Big Snow" or "The Cold Winter of 1913" in the Grassy Butte area.
He was the eldest of eight children born to Russian immigrants Mike and Rose (Sokirka) Tachenko.
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Matt already had five half brothers from his father's first marriage to Anna (Kostenko) Tachenko .
He attended the Little Knife Butte Country School, which was ½ mile south of his home by Grassy Butte. Matt also attended Killdeer High School and Sheyenne River Academy in Harvey.
He went on to Fargo, where he attended Hanson Auto, Tractor and Electrical School, and received his diploma in March 1934.
In 1935, because North Dakota was dry and farming nonproductive during the depression years, Mike Tachenko took part of his family, which included Matt, and they moved near Geneva, Ohio, where they truck farmed.
During the three years there, they managed to support the family by hoeing, picking and selling fruits and vegetables.
When Mike returned to North Dakota in 1938, Matt went to work for Starky's Grocery and Feed Store, Gas-Garage and Auto Dealership in Wayzata, Minn., for the next two years.
He returned home each spring to put a crop in.
In 1940, he worked at Alkaseter, Minn., as a farm hand and delivered garden produce to sell in the outskirts of Minneapolis.
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Matt returned to North Dakota to assist his father, who was ill, traveling to several clinics in different states seeking medical help, but Mike died in July 1941.
Matt registered for the Army, but was exempt because four of his brothers were already in the service and because of the death of his father.
On Nov. 16, 1941, at the age of 28, Matt married Olga Gulka from South Heart.
They farmed and ranched, raising Hereford cattle. They lived seven miles west of Killdeer and resided there until recent years.
They had three children, Paul, Darleen and Karen.
Matt's earlier mechanical training served him well, and he was able to fix most anything on his farm.
Matt and Olga celebrated 65 years of marriage before Olga died on Aug. 17, 2007.
Matt was an active member of the Grassy Butte Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He was known for his support and encouragement to others along with a good sense of humor and a strong Christian faith.
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He loved to read and enjoyed watching the news, which kept him current with the local, United States and world happenings.
Matt was also involved in various community organizations.
In the late 40s, early 50s, he assisted the county in getting people to subscribe to the local Rural Electric Association (REA) to get electricity to the farms.
He also helped to get subscribers for the southwest water pipe line to come from the Missouri River.
He was on the school board of the Richloam School District for four year.
He worked with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services to measure and check grain for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
He was a member of the Farmers Union, and then the Farm Bureau.
Because of these activities, he become friends with many people in the neighboring areas and always loved to visit.
Matt and Olga enjoyed the many local social events and also traveling in the U.S. and abroad.
Matt is survived by daughters, Darleen Stout, Redlands, Calif., and Karen (Jon) Carstens, Hayden, Idaho; four brothers, Gus (Stayce) Tachenko, Grassy Butte, Lonnie (Estelle) Tachenko, Dickinson, Steve (Virginia) Tachenko, Grassy Butte, and Mike (Marvella) Tachenko, Avon Park, Fla.; two sisters, Leone Quast, Beach, and Ann (Delmer) Holbrook, Colton, Calif., a sister-in-law, Alma Tachenko, Baker, Ore.; and four grandsons, Justin Stout, Olympic Valley, Calif., Burke Stout, Redlands, Calif., Clayton Carstens, Hayden, and Trevor Carstens, Hayden.
Matt was preceded in death by his parents; six half brothers, Nick Tachenko, George Sterling, Andrew Sterling, Sam Sterling, Bill Sterling and John Davis; a brother, Joe Tachenko; a son, Paul, who died at the age of 9; grandson, Spencer Carstens; and his wife, Olga.
Gifts in memory of Matt may be sent to KPAR, Life Talk Christian Radio Station, P.O. Box 1152, Dickinson, N.D., 58602
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com .
(Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson)
