Herman A. Natwick

Herman Aaron Natwick, 92, passed away at the Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota on September 23, 2019.

Herman was born at home on September 29, 1926, the third child of James and Julia (Haaland) Natwick of rural Ada, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at the North Wild Rice Church in rural Gary, Minnesota. He was raised on the family farm near Twin Valley, Minnesota and attended Breezy Point Country School near their farm and graduated from high school in the class of 1944 at Twin Valley, MN. On June 7, 1947 he was united in marriage to Agnes Moss, an English teacher in Twin Valley.

Herman was a born entrepreneur and even built a large wooden cart and broke a team of oxen to drive when he was still in grade school.  He started to raise turkeys on a commercial scale while still in High School. In 1948 he took over the family farm. In succeeding years he fed a large number of cattle, feeder lambs, and turkeys. In 1961 he was named as Minnesota’s Outstanding Young Farmer.  Herman also took an active role in the leadership of a number of farm and community organizations including the Ada Toastmasters Club, Norman County Farm Bureau, the Norman County Historical Society, and Northwest Farm Managers. In 1962 he was named King Agassiz of the Red River Valley Winter Shows.  Herman had a keen interest in politics and served as Norman County Republican Chairman as well as the Seventh District Republican Chairman.   In 1972 he was a Delegate to the National Republican Convention.  He also was a partner with his cousin Terry in establishing one of the first Subaru franchises in the Upper Midwest at Detroit Lakes Minnesota.  In addition to his farm operation, Herman was on the board of directors for West Central Turkeys Cooperative, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, The Lutheran Memorial Nursing Home and the local school board. In 1975 he was appointed to the Minnesota State ASCS Committee and remained on the committee for eight years.

In 1985, Herman and Agnes left the farm and moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked a short time for the U.S Department of Agriculture. Never shying away from a challenge, his entrepreneurial spirit soon kicked in and he formed a Black Car Service in Arlington, Virginia, which he owned and operated for several years. In 1992, Herman and Agnes moved back to Moorhead, Minnesota where he took real estate course work and became a certified general appraiser. In 1997, he purchased the appraisal business of Harry Arneson in Fargo, which is still being operated by his two sons. He was well into his eighties when he fully retired.  Herman enjoyed being physically active, and activities pursued after farming included swimming, cross country skiing, canoeing, and biking.  Herman very much enjoyed reading throughout his entire life and he never stopped learning.

He is survived by his children Sandra (Allan) Knoll, James (Susan) Natwick, Karen (Kent) Carlson, and Brian (Julie) Natwick, eleven grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Agnes, his wife of 70 years, his parents, one sister, and two brothers.

A visitation will be held on Monday, September 30, 2019 from 10:00-11:00 AM followed by the memorial service at 11:00 at First Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND.

Final resting place will be in Prairie Home Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.