Douglas Paluck 58, Dickinson, joined his son, Karl (in Heaven), on Monday July 13, 2020 at the University of Minnesota East Bank Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn. He passed away unexpectedly enroute to Mayo in Rochester for a weeklong evaluation for a liver transplant. Doug’s Mass of Christian Burial will be 1 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2020 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Fr. Kregg Hochhalter as celebrant and Fr. Casimir Paluck as concelebrant. Entombment will take place at the Dickinson Mausoleum. Visitation will be at Ladbury Funeral Service on Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a rosary and vigil at 6 p.m. with Deacon Leonard Kordonowy presiding. Visitation will continue on Saturday at Ladbury Funeral Service from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be no visitation at the church.
Doug was a very proud, strong, & voiceful man having received 8 years of schooling at St. Bernard’s Catholic School and then graduating from Belfield High School in 1980. He went on to work in the oilfield for Koch Oil and eventually became a landman for BWAB. He loved going to court houses and looking up titles. He lived at the farm he grew up on with his parents, Stanley & Gladys (Kadrmas) Paluck and his brother, Bob. After hard times struck on the farm, he left work and began helping his parents. After a 40 degree below cold spell froze pipes and caused water damage, he fell in love with the young claims adjuster from State Farm that came to inspect the damages. Rhonda Berwald fell in love too with Doug’s good looks, charm and kindness.
Doug and Rhonda were married at Christ the King Catholic Church in Mandan on October 20, 1990. He moved into Rhonda’s home in Mandan. Rhonda continued to work for State Farm handling property and casualty claims in SW North Dakota along with 323 days of storm duty including hurricane Andrew in Florida in 1992.
Doug ventured back into oil & gas and began to work on buying/selling leases. He formed many new relationships that turned into partners in the exploration for oil until his dad came down with lung cancer in 1994. He went back & forth to Belfield to help his parents with the many trips to Mayo.
In 2000, Doug & Rhonda were so blessed with a daughter, Kayla. They moved to Dickinson in 2002 and took over the family farm after his dad died in 2003. In 2004, they were blessed again with a son, Karl. Doug began to grow a herd of red angus cross cattle. He bought the best bulls that produced the heaviest calves that he took great pride in. His dream of having his son take over the ranch someday was shattered when Karl began to have medical issues in 2005. He proudly told Karl’s caregivers, “That’s MY BOY”. He was devastated when Karl died in March 2017. When Kayla was little, Doug loved to take her along to the ranch and to go fishing. He was so proud when she enrolled at UND in 2019 to pursue a nursing degree.
Doug was a 3rd degree Knight of Columbus. He was also a member of the Elks and the Eagles club in Dickinson. He loved to socialize, entertain and cook with gatherings at his home for many family and friends. He also loved to fish and hunt competitively with his wife, Rhonda to see who caught or shot the biggest. However it actually turned out, he was right.
Doug is survived at home by his wife, Rhonda; his daughter, Kayla (special friend Peter Pavek); and his loving pet, Lilly; his mother, Gladys-Belfield; his brother, Robert (Donna)-Dickinson; father-in-law, Gordon Berwald-Summit, S.D. (special friend Linda Sibson); mother-in-law, Crystal Berwald-Watertown, S.D.; sisters-in-law, Melissa (John) Remund-Wilmot, S.D., Jodi Hook-Browns Valley, Minn.; Jackie (Kelly) Merryweather-Elkhorn, Neb.; Tammy Berwald-Madison, Minn; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts & uncles. Doug was preceded in death by his son, Karl (age 13) and his father, Stanley (age 69).
Doug will be remembered by his love to his family and his cattle. His memory will live on forever through his wife Rhonda, his daughter Kayla, & his many family & friends. We would like to express our greatest appreciation to the medical professionals and emergency personnel affiliated with CHI St Alexius in Dickinson and Bismarck, Fairview Ridges ER in Burnsville, Minn. and University of MN Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minn. We would also like to desperately thank Shane Kling, and all his family and friends, Angie Dietz, Jerry & Christian Anheluk, Bob Paluck, Daryl Zarak, Gladys Paluck and everyone else who worked so hard to get Doug’s cows calved out, calves branded and the ranch work done in hopes that Doug would be able to return to what he loved to do.
