Kirby Nielsen, 64, of Fargo died August 15, 2019 after a two and a half year battle with ALS. Visitation will be held at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Oberon, ND. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 PM with lunch to follow. Interment will be in the Norway Lutheran Church Cemetery, 5021 72nd Ave NE, Devils Lake, ND.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials are made to Hospice of the Red River Valley: 1919 University Avenue West Suite 175 St. Paul ,MN 55104 and/or to the ALS Association: 3139 23rd Ave S, Fargo, ND 58103 in Kirby's name.

Kirby was born to Jens and Vernice (Burgess) Nielsen on August 16, 1955 and grew up in Oberon, ND, graduating from Oberon High School in 1973.

After high school, Kirby worked as a carpenter with his father. He moved to Fargo in 1979 and worked as a carpenter for Dennis Domeier. In 1982 Kirby began his career with Roers' Construction, where he was a job superintendent for over 30 years.

Kirby married Sara Brenno in March 1979. They had three children - Angela, Andrew and Adam. They later divorced. Kirby met Mary Gesellchen and they married on May 19, 1989. They had a son, Alexander.

Kirby was an avid hunter and fisherman and liked all kinds of sports. He was an NDSU Bison football fanatic and enjoyed the last two FCS National Championships that he and Mary attended in Frisco, Texas, where the Bison took home the trophy.

Kirby inherited 40 acres of wooded land near Devils Lake in the late 1990s. After years clearing the land of trees and developing the property, his great-aunt's 1930s barn was rescued from the rising waters of Devils Lake and moved to the 40 acres. Many weekends were spent transforming the barn to a home during the day and relaxing around a bonfire at night, one of Kirby's favorite past-times.

Survivors include his wife, Mary; daughter, Angie (Josh) Clarke; sons, Andrew (Stacie Otteson and her daughters Abby and Jillian), Adam (fiancé Taylor Rabon) and Alex; brother, Eugene (Janice) Nielsen; sister, Eloise (Kenny) Ploium; brothers-in-law, Jake Goertzen, Cliff (JoAnn) Gesellchen, Rod and Peter Gesellchen; uncle, Lloyd Burgess; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Kirby was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Rodney Nielsen; sister, Junita Goertzen and sister-in-law, Marlene Gesellchen.