Jason “Petey” Allen Bird was called home by The Lord on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Jason’s Celebration of Life Service will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, November 6, 2025 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Pastor David Jenkins as officiant. Military Honors will be provided by the Dickinson American Legion Post 3 Honor Guard. Interment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.
Jason Allen Bird was born July 30, 1981, in Dickinson, to Teresa Bird. Growing up in Killdeer, he met his long-time brother, Preston Danks. Jason graduated from Killdeer High School in 2001. He enlisted in the United States Army shortly after graduation, and was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. In 2006 he married Natasha Needham, and later was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. Jason served three deployments in Iraq. Jason and Natasha were blessed with two sons, Layton and Ethan, who were the light of his life.
After his honorable discharge in 2012 he returned to North Dakota. He took employment with Midwest Crane where he started as a rigger and Halo jump master, and through changes with MBI and ND Energy he served as a crane operator and crane supervisor.
Jason loved hunting with his boys, competing in ranch rodeos, branding cattle, lending a hand with the Danks/Klempel families (his second family), and many other friends he could help.
In 2023, Jason met Cheyenne, with whom he shared a meaningful relationship, and her daughters, Rylee and Aurora, who became a special part of his life. He loved coaching Rylee in basketball, and horse riding with Aurora.
Jason is survived by his sons, Layton and Ethan, their mother, Natasha Needham; Cheyenne and her daughters, Aurora and Rylee; his parents, Teresa and John Buckman; his grandmothers, Eileen Bird and Bonnie Buckman; his siblings, Val (Mark) Decker, Craig (Whitney) Buckman, Scott (Jennifer) Buckman; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, James Bird; uncles, Bobby Bird and Tom Edgar; and cousin, Ryan Edgar.
Jason’s warm heart and adventurous spirit will not be forgotten; he will be deeply missed and forever loved.
