Community mourns longtime Jamestown resident and veteran Bernie Michel

Bernard “Bernie” Michel, a lifelong Jamestown resident, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jamestown. He was 81. Born Sept. 26, 1944, in Jamestown, Michel graduated from Jamestown High School in 1966 and spent decades working in Stutsman County at businesses and institutions that shaped daily life in the community.

Michel served in the North Dakota National Guard and retired as a staff sergeant in 1987. His military service and steady presence in local workplaces made him a familiar figure to multiple generations across the county. He held jobs at Goodrich, at the North Dakota State Hospital, and at Ken’s Auto, connecting him to Jamestown’s industrial, health care and small-business communities. Outside of work, Michel enjoyed fishing, hunting and spending time with family and friends.

For a county of Jamestown’s size, the passing of someone who bridged veteran, health care and service sectors is more than a personal loss. Michel’s career at the North Dakota State Hospital speaks to the vital role local employees play in providing behavioral health and support services to Stutsman County residents. As communities across rural North Dakota confront an aging workforce, retirements and deaths of long-serving staff underscore the need to recruit and retain workers who sustain essential services close to home.

Michel’s military retirement rank of staff sergeant also highlights the presence of veterans in Jamestown’s civic life. Veterans and their families contribute to the social fabric here; their needs for recognition, benefits navigation and community supports remain part of local public health and social service planning.

Services and visitation details were listed in his obituary. Arrangements were handled by Eddy Funeral Home.

Neighbors and former co-workers will remember Michel for his steady service and his time outdoors with family. His death is a reminder of the interwoven networks that keep small towns running: veterans who answer the call to serve, workers who staff hospitals and shops, and families who share leisure and labor across generations.

For readers, Michel’s passing prompts a practical takeaway: supporting local health care institutions and veterans’ services helps preserve the community connections and essential services that people like Michel built over a lifetime. The coming weeks will show how friends and family honor his memory and how Jamestown continues to steward the institutions he helped sustain.