Jose Agustin Vidal

1936 - 2024

JOSE AGUSTIN VIDAL, 88, of Nett Lake went home to be with the Lord on October 30, 2024.
Jose was born on March 19, 1936 in Mariel, Cuba, the only child of Francisco and Nievas Vidal. He worked as a fisherman and diver and as a concrete plant worker in Cuba. After spending five years as a political prisoner in Cuba during the 1960s, he left his beloved country and fled to Spain. He spent a year in Spain and arrived in the United States in 1969, where he met his wife, Rita, in New Orleans. They were married in 1970 in Grand Forks, ND. Throughout the years, they lived in Grand Forks, ND, Roanoke, VA, Naknek, AK, Phoenix, AZ and Nett Lake, MN. Jose was a hard worker who held various jobs to support his family including owning and operating a refrigeration business. His family meant more to him than anything else in the world, something he proudly and often mentioned. He enjoyed cooking Cuban and Spanish cuisine, tinkering in his tool shed, watching the news, talking politics and spending time with his wife and family.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his mother-in-law Alice P. Smith and surrogate mother Ruth Boshey; brothers-in-law Edwin Porter and Howard Knutson.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Rita and children Laura Ferwalt of Nett Lake, Leo (Angela) Vidal of Nett Lake, Lisa (Jason Carlson) Vidal of Tower and River Spirit of Duluth; grandchildren Christine, Britney, Alley, Trinity, Tristan, Winter, Raven and Skylar; great-grandchildren Carlin, Valor and Nova.
Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Bois Forte government building in Nett Lake.