Jody W. Gudvangen, 54, Fertile, MN, passed away on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND, surrounded by his family.
He was born on September 12, 1971 to Wilbur and Frances (Larson) Gudvangen in Crookston, MN. He attended Fertile-Beltrami until he graduated in 1990. On July 20, 2002, Jody was united in marriage to Denise Jadeke at St. Paul & Peter Catholic Church Warren, MN.
Jody worked at Lee Nursery until it closed in 2009, where he loved working outside. From spring to fall he spent his days digging, cutting, and packaging trees and the winter was spent picking seeds. After Lee Nursery closed, Jody worked as the courier for Riverview Health and would send out weather reports to friends and family. Jody missed being outside so when he wasn’t working, he spent more time planting food plots. One year, he planted pumpkins in the food plot, and they produced so well that he decided to sell them. That was the start of Gudvangen Pumpkins, and he and his wife and family would spend weekends from September through October selling the different varieties he grew out of his home and area towns much to his wife’s angst. In between growing pumpkins, he established a reputation for trapping nuisance beaver for the DNR and local landowners. Jody also enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing horseshoes, driving around and looking for deer and bear, and watching football and baseball. He was a devout Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins fan. In his younger years, Jody enjoyed snowmobiling, bowling, hunting ruffed grouse, gopher trapping, camping, and helping his dad baling hay. But most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and making potato dumplings.
He said his greatest blessings were his wife and his daughters Chesney and Hailey. He loved taking part in their school and sport activities and cheering them on from the sidelines.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Denise, Fertile, MN; two children, Chesney (Robert Olson) Gudvangen, Fertile, MN and Hailey Gudvangen, Fertile, MN; five siblings, Melinda “Lindy” (Donald) Fuglseth, Fertile, MN, Dean (Diana) Gudvangen, Fertile, MN, Diane (Kevin) Bjorneby, Warroad, MN, Sheila (Larry) Bouffleur, Mentor, MN, and Karen (Kevin) Jadeke, Mentor, MN; one brother-in-law, David (Brenda) Jadeke, Warren, MN; one sister-in-law, Debra Forbes, Richmond, VA; one uncle, Maynard Gudvangen, Fort Denaud, FL; one aunt, Doris Michaels, Fertile, MN; and many treasured nieces and nephews, and their children.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Gail Belen; sisters-in-law, Donna Jadeke and Deanne Pilon; and brothers-in-law, Brian Pilon and Michael Forbes.
If you would like to honor Jody’s passion for the outdoors, we encourage you to wear camouflage to the service.
Funeral Service: 11:00 AM, Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, MN.
Visitation: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Fertile, MN, with a prayer service beginning at 6:30 PM.
Interment: Our Saviors Lutheran Cemetery, Rural Fertile, MN.
Please view our guestbook and share condolences online at www.eriksonvikfh.com
Arrangements with Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home of Fertile, Minnesota
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