Morris D. Eshenko, 87, Minot, formerly of the Kief/Butte area, died Monday, February 22, 2010 in a Minot healthcare center.

Morris was born September 6, 1922 on the family farm near Kief, North Dakota to Dan and Martha (Dedenko) Eshenko. He was reared on the family farm and attended school in Kief. As a young adult he was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the Upham area until 1940. He entered into active duty service with the U.S. Army in 1941 and served in Europe during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Normandy, Rhineland and the Ardennes as a member of Battery A of the 8630th Field Artillery Battalion and received a number of medals and citations during the war.

Following his honorable discharge in 1945, Morris spent two years in Florida before returning to North Dakota in 1947. Later that year, he joined the Minot Police Department. In 1949, he went to work for Minot Implement the John Deere dealership and worked for that company until 1979. He was united in marriage to Frances Petersen in 1951. They had one son and were later divorced. He married Marian Brown on December 17, 1965 in Minot. They made their home in Minot. Following his retirement from Minot Implement he was employed by the Dakota Boys Ranch for fifteen years and was a Star Route mail carrier.

Morris was especially proud of his Ukranian heritage and often spoke Ukranian to his relatives and friends. He was a member of the American Legion Post in Butte and attended Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot. He especially enjoyed reading, traveling, watching John Wayne movies and Minnesota Twins baseball.

Morris' loving family includes : wife, Marian; children, David (Sandy) of Fargo, Jeff (Beverly) of Valentine, Neb; grandchildren, Travis, Joshua, Ashley, Adam and Camilla; great-grandchildren, Paul, Naomi, Jaylin and Tyler; brother, Andrew Eshenko, Sawyer; sisters, Ruth Connor and Ellen (Dale) Louck, both of Yakima, WA and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Morris was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers: William, Daniel, Henry and Edward and sister, Beulah.

Funeral service: Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.in Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.
Interment: Veterans Section of Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.
Visitation: Friday from 2:00 p.m. to7:00 p.m.in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.