Herbert L. Meschke, 89, passed away on Friday, May 19, 2017 at his home near Minot, ND.

Herbert was born March 18, 1928, in the Badlands north of Medora, ND to cattleman and cowboy poet Gus Meschke and his wife Dorothy McLeod. He was raised on the ranch, went to a one-room country school, and attended high school in Belfield, ND. Herbert would go on to attend Jamestown College, where he met and married, Shirley Ruth McNeil of Hettinger, ND.

Herbert attended law school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and returned to ND. Following a year of clerking for Federal District Judge Charles Vogel in Fargo, he joined the law firm of Ilvedson, Pringle, and Herigstad in Minot. Herbert was a member of the Ward County, State, and American Bar Assns, and admitted to practice before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Additionally, Herbert was admitted and qualified as attorney and counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States, April 19, 1962.

Herb and Shirley had four children who they raised in Minot. The Meschke family were members of Vincent United Methodist Church, where he served for several committees and the foundation Board. Herb served in the 1965 legislative session in the ND house, and in 67-68 as state senator and senate minority leader for the Democratic-NPL. In a legislative capacity, he helped in the congressional push to support and open the lignite coal mines and move the State-Fair permanently to the Northwestern ND fairgrounds in Minot. He was a principal organizer and board member of the Minot Vocational Workshop, and board-chairman of the Minot Symphony Endowment. In 1985, Herbert accepted an appointment to the ND Supreme Court until his retirement in 1999. He continued working as special counsel and did historical writing for the ND Supreme Court, family homestead pioneers and cowboys.

Surviving family includes: Loving wife of 66 years, Shirley Ruth; and children, Marie, Jean, Michael, and Jill; Grandchildren Aurora, Mason, Finan, Taylor, Justine, and Conan; sister Helen Kary of Mandan, ND and all his nieces and nephews.

Herbert was preceded in death by his parents Gus and Dorothy, and his brothers, Don and Ralph.

Celebration of Life service: Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. in Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.
Visitation: At the request of family, there will not be a reviewal, however friends may sign a memorial register book on Tuesday, May 23rd from 3:00-6:00 p.m. in Thomas family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials are preferred to the Minot Symphony Association or the State Historical Society of ND Foundation.