Lowell Gale Bring

Lowell Bring, of Stephen, MN, passed away on December 31, 2025, in Altru Hospital of Grand Forks, ND one day before his 91st birthday.

Lowell Gale Bring was born on New Year's Day, 1935, on the family farm in West Valley Township, the second of four children born to Gust and Louise (Haarstad) Bring. He spoke only Norwegian at home growing up and learned English while attending Woodland and West Valley Country Schools through the 8th grade. His job was to walk to school early and start the wood stove each morning. He attended Newfolden High School and then transferred to the Northwest School of Agriculture (the AC) in Crookston, where he graduated in 1952. A few months after, at the age of 17, he left for the Cities to find a job. Lowell worked at the New York Fur Auction for a year, grading mink coats. He then got a job at Armour & Co. While the nation was fighting in Korea, Lowell enlisted in the US Army in May of 1957.

He took the train to Fort Gordon, GA, and was soon instructed as a teletype operator, crossing the Pacific to Incheon, Korea in short order. He served under wartime conditions, despite the conflict drawing to a close, being allowed to shower once a week and keeping fully-armed at all times with the enemy still active. He was honorably discharged in May of 1959 and returned to his old job at Armour in South St. Paul. There he met Muriel Ann Setterholm- and the rest was history! They were married on October 22, 1960, and lived in South St. Paul to start their lives together. Three daughters would follow, and the family's greatest memories were in Barnes, WI (1968) where on weekends Lowell, using a kit he bought, built their cabin. The family enjoyed swimming in crystal-clear water, blueberry picking, fishing, long walks, and meals under the covered porch. In 1975, the parents conspired to move the family to Stephen, with Lowell and Muriel taking over her parents' farm. Two grain trucks were the moving vans: they were back home.

Lowell possessed remarkable skills building, fixing, or mending nearly anything. He spent countless hours assisting friends and family finishing basements and remodeling projects. He even once built a sailboat! Never the center of attention, he did like to talk, coming into town most mornings for coffee. Apart from this, he liked spending time with his family, working in the shop he built, listening to the radio in his room, or enjoying the simple pleasure of watching the entire farm from his seat at the kitchen table.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Muriel; daughters, Wendy (Craig) Hvidsten, Kellene (Brian) Neuharth, and Kristen (Martin) Kolker; 8 grandchildren, Kelsey (Andrew) DeMars, Kaitlyn (Kader) Toovi, Brianne (Kyle) Hovald, Reese Neuharth, Derek Neuharth, Kayla (Grayson Cobb) Neuharth, Matthew Kolker and Lauren (Aaron) Remick; 7 great-grandkids (with two on the way), Ezra, Faith, Christine, and Micah Toovi, Kora Hovald, and Weston and Grace Remick; brother, Derril (Doris) Bring; and siblings-in-law, Sharon Bring, Duane Setterholm, and Arlet Phillips; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marlene (Howard) Rutherford; brother, Wesley; Muriel's parents, Kenneth & Lorraine Setterholm; in-laws, Avis Pagnac, Shirley Setterholm, and Arnold Phillips; and nephews, David and Randy Bring, and Tom Rutherford.

A special thank you to our family, friends, caregivers, the staff at Kittson Memorial Heathcare Center, North Star Manor, Warren Hospital, and Altru Hospital for their excellent care.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 10:30 AM, in first Lutheran Church of Stephen, MN.

A LIVESTREAM may be found here: 1st Lutheran Church: Lowell Bring Funeral

VISITATION: Monday evening, January 12, from 4:00 PM; Prayer Service at 6:00 PM, in First Lutheran Church; and one hour prior to the funeral.
INTERMENT: Stephen City Cemetery, Stephen, MN.
MILITARY HONORS by the Stephen American Legion Post 390 and the US Army honor Guard.