John Hjelmstad, one of UND's most dedicated fans, goes out with a Fighting Sioux funeral
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John Hjelmstad, wearing his green cowboy hat and vintage jersey, attended his first hockey game in the 1970s and became addicted to the sport immediately (Obviously a "bandwagon fan." Where was he when DU was destroying UND in 60's?). For nearly 30 years since then, he attended every UND men's hockey home game, including every game ever played in the old Ralph Engelstad Arena (what a dump that place was).
His streak has ended, but not without a fitting Fighting Sioux sendoff from fellow fans (Is it too late to bury the rest of the UND Faithful?).
Hjelmstad's passion for the team was evident in all aspects of his life. A room at his house was filled with (hostile & abusive) memorabilia, a collection that "would be worthy of a small museum," according to friend Dan Rustvang (Somebody call Sotherby's. All that stuff must be worth 50 bucks). This passion was evident in his funeral as well.
Per his request, Hjelmstad was wearing his beloved Sioux hockey jersey when he was buried (What...he wasn't able to find a Holy Cross Jersey in time for his funeral?).
When family members met to discuss plans for the funeral, they thought of the perfect way to honor his memory (My suggestion of a six pack of beer and a Red Baron Pizza was shot down). Decked out in hockey jerseys old and new, black, green and white, family and friends showed up at Friday's funeral to pay their last respects in a way that would have made Hjelmstad proud (Great, another gathering of fat guys in tight fitting hockey jerseys).
Fick said it was the first time he has ever seen a funeral where the audience's dress had a theme (The NCAA has banned hostile and abusive logos and mascots at all future funerals, weddings and Bar Mitzvah's).
21 comments:
May someone say similarly disrespectful things about you after you're dead.
This is totally uncalled for. I know his daughter and she would be so hurt by your completely idiotic comments. I hope you are ashamed.
You are an idiot. By the way how long to the Pee-oners go without a title.
Absolutely tasteless.
COME ON MAN, EVEN YOUR OWN FAITHFUL WOULD SAY THIS IS PATHETIC AND DISRESPECTFUL. DO THE RIGHT THING AND REMOVE THIS SHIT
You are a complete Fu#$ing idiot. How do you live with yourself.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU REMOVED THE COMMENTS AS WELL AS THOSE ARE JUST AS BAD AS YOUR TITLE THAT YOU REMOVED....THX
I think DG would be honored for people to say such things about him after his death.
I think your article might be a little over the top.
Great great storyline. I particularly enjoyed the "all that sioux stuff must be worth $50 bucks" oh yeah and the "6-pack of beer and a Red Baron Pizza" another classic. Good work dggoddard. Keep up the good fight---bashing the complaining sue
Sad that this gentleman passed away. But let's not act shocked when a little fun is poked at someone who seems to have had an over-the-top interest in sports.
To the man with the lame attempt at humor and wit- both of which you failed. Slam the school the logo the team but please DO NOT use my fathers death and funeral
as a platform for your juvenile attempt to entertain the highly intelligent crowd I'm sure you run with. Bad form bad taste just plain bad.
To whom it may concern my name is
Julie Abell daughter of
John Hjelmstad a man with more class in death than you'll ever accumulate in your lifetime.
Also if would like to carry on this conversation my husband and other members of my family have numerous things to add.
dggoddard, I just learned about your blog this evening. Your comments on my late husband's funeral leads one to believe that you may have known John, which is apparent to me that you did not. He had a passion for the game of hockey and over the years attended at least one game in every WCHA arena, several in Denver. You mock the old Englestad arena,yet how soon you forget that before the current DU hockey arena, the Pioneers were playing out of an old airplane hanger... What is one team's "barn" is another team's "ice palace". You obviously have a lot of growing up to do. You have no respect for the dead and you have no respect for yourself.--Terry Hjelmstad
I think that you are a poor excuse for a human being, with nothing better to do than put others down...including those of us that are mourning the loss of a great man. Obviously you didn't know my dad, or you wouldn't have such hurtful things to say. It is pathetic that you are letting a stupid college rivalry over a sport become such a hurtful statement.
I wish that my dad could give you a piece of his mind, and defend himself (and the sport he so loved), but you'll never get a chance to meet him because he is in Heaven. It is evident that you will not be going there.
Here is a quote for you that my dad always told me: "If I wanted to listen to an asshole, I'd fart!"
Nicki, proud daughter of John Hjelmstad and UND student
Wow people sure do blow things way out of proportion...
Rock on DG.
The man hasn't even been gone a month. Give the family time and space to mourn. Grow up. Everybody
let it go and show a little respect. A persons life is worth more than anonymous bloggers trying to be somebody and trashing it. Common courtsey is it lost
Lets see...
John Hjelmstad loved college hockey..I love college hockey.
John Hjelmstad loved the Fighting Sioux...I hate the fighting Sioux (not really but it helps viewship in Minnesota if I pretend to)...
John Hjelmstad had one hellva funny funneral. I made fun of the "article" about said funeral.
To the family...I'm sorry. I won't retract the article & comments, because I lampooned the "article" not the man. Big difference. At the end of the day, the man has my respect.
I'm off to Bermuda for a week...
dggoddard
wow a DU fan being a moron! not surprising! GO CC
Wow. A CC fan who spends his time trolling on a DU Blog...not surprising.
let me begin by saying that by saying that i hate to lower myself with insults. also i write this independently and hope the bereaved family forgives me for giving you a moment of my interest.
i am a coworker to one of john hjelmstads daughters and too have lost a father at an early age. but in no way should that be misconstrued as clouding my judgement. i am simply doing what i normally do when stumbling across a person of your character.
i am assuming you were attempting to be witty, and wit at its most basic definition is intelligence, and any intelligent person knows the honor the deceased. have you yourself sir lost your mental faculties in that you love something so much, a sports team nonetheless that i am sure would would want nothing to do with you, that doesnt love you back? has there been a pattern of this in your life? you even state that you don't even really hate the sioux hockey team and were trying to simple bash an article. If you don't truly dislike the team then you were just looking for attention, as your picture suggests wearing togas to a public event, im sure that was fun but ive never had that many people publically laugh at me so i wouldnt know. you need to hit the gym whichever of the three you are by the way. and how is a funeral funny? where was your father figure? you could have used a john hjelmstad in your life i suspect. you refuse to remove your article becuase you do not have the ability to admit you are wrong. such as when you were wrong in choosing a college(i dont know your test scores your choices may have been limited), from what i understand DU is somewhat of a "community college." at what point should the deceased be looking for your respect, it would be like asking heinrich himmler if he respects you. nice name drop on bermuda for a week by the way i guess you have really cemented your place of anonymity in the world. the indigenous population has a very high HIV rate just so you know. but im sure you really cant fight the need to pay for services. in summation please dont view any of what i have said and try to blow it off as me being a dypocrite by saying these things about you, i do not pretend to be the best person either. and i do know that i began the article hinting i would take the high road, a lie none the less, as such as when your parents told you that you weren't a mistake or that they loved you.
Well Wishes
John Hjelmstad was my uncle. Thanks for saying such horrible things about a man you never met. you're not in my family and have no damn reason to judge us or what we do. If John were still alive, he'd tell you to $%^$ off!
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