Harold "Ted" Upgren, 83, of Bismarck passed away March 19, 2026.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, March 30, at Inspire Family Fellowship, 523 N 21st St, Bismarck, ND.

Visitation will be held from 4:30-7:00 PM on Sunday, March 29, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A prayer service will begin at 5:30 PM.

Burial will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

H. Ted Upgren, Jr was born to Ismey (Jensen) and Harold T. Upgren, Jr. on September 28, 1942 in Bismarck, ND. He graduated from Bismarck High School in 1960, before which time he worked as an after-school "printers devil" at the State Historical Society, gaining an early respect for history and storytelling. He also worked as an archeological field assistant to Dr. James Howard of UNO in the excavation of the Huff Mandan Indian village. This experience deepened his connection to the region’s rich cultural heritage. In the summers between 1960–1962 he was a ND Game and Fish Department seasonal, beginning what would become a lifelong passion and professional calling in conservation and wildlife stewardship. He graduated from the ND School of Forestry in 1962. In the summer of 1963, he worked with the Bureau of Land Management in Montrose, CO, further expanding his hands-on experience in land stewardship. He graduated from Utah State University in Logan, Utah in 1964 and became a seasonal ranger at Glacier Bay National Park.

Ted began work in 1967 for the ND Game and Fish Department as an upland game biologist at Rugby, ND, stepping into a role that would allow him to directly impact wildlife conservation across the state. For a time, he worked for Northwestern Bell Yellow Pages and Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance and Securities, gaining additional professional experience. In 1984, he transitioned back into the North Dakota Game & Fish Department to head up the Information-Education Division, highlighted by his directorship of the Department's Missions in Woodland Habitats. It was in this role that he developed Coverlocks for Conservation and wrote the $44 million USDA grant to support it, a landmark initiative that left a lasting imprint on conservation efforts throughout the region. He served several churches, civic and conservation organizations, generously giving his time, leadership and wisdom to causes that strengthened the community. He was a past president and chairman of the board of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, where he helped elevate the voice and craft of outdoor storytelling on a national level. A committed writer, Ted founded Windfeather Press and published his own book, Across the Wheatgrass in 1988, a reflection of both his love for the prairie and his gift for capturing its spirit in words. Windfeather Press also published North Dakota Wildfowling (2003) by Harold Duebbert, Tales from the Lost Rider of Yaupon Creek (2004) by Herman W. Brune, Christmas Tales of the Lost Rider (2005), and My Lifetime Among Waterfowl (2022) by Harold Duebbert, helping bring important outdoor stories and voices to a wider audience. He also authored numerous articles for ND Outdoors and for Dakota Country magazine, where he wrote a column called This Prairie Life, sharing reflections that resonated deeply with readers who loved the land as he did.

Ted married the former Khylene K. Hofstad in April 1965, beginning a devoted partnership marked by deep love, mutual support and shared purpose. He was particularly grateful for the love and support of his devoted wife Kaye, whose steadfast presence was a constant source of strength and encouragement throughout his life. She loved and nursed him through the serious challenges of West Nile virus and more, offering unwavering care and compassion even as she confronted a variety of health encounters throughout her own life, embodying resilience, sacrifice and deep devotion in the face of adversity. They grew inseparable as the years passed and their love deepened. They had three sons, Randall, Bob and Michael. Together they built a family grounded in strong values, faith and togetherness. He enjoyed family gatherings grilling some of the best burgers you’d every taste and Sunday afternoons watching the Minnesota Vikings with everyone huddled around the tv. Ted found some of his greatest joy hunting and fishing alongside his children, grandchildren and loved ones. Those days were never just about the hunt—they were about being together, sharing stories, teaching lessons and passing down a deep respect for the outdoors.

Ted is survived by his sons, Randy (Pamela), grandsons Joshua and Jordan (Mariah), and great-grandson Lucas; Bob (Shaunna), granddaughters Tayva and Siri; and Michael (Melissa), granddaughter Bailey and grandson Ethan. He is also survived by his brother, David (Lorry), nephews Jim, Charles and Daniel; sister Karen (Earl), nephew Mark, niece Mary; sister Kirsten, nephew Paul and niece Missy. Additional survivors include in-laws Jeffrey and Joy Hofstad (nephews Michael and David); Gerald and Jennifer Hofstad, (nephews Justin, Tyler, Jordan, and Jerad, and nieces Kylee and Laura); nephew Jason, and nieces Tammy and Tanya; and niece Jessica Larson.

He was preceded in death by his wife Kaye, parents Harold and Ismey Upgren; mother and father-in-law, Chet and Alta Hofstad; brothers-in-law Alfred Hofstad, Jack Hofstad, and Tom Anderson; sister-in-law Kim and nephew Scott.

Ted leaves behind a legacy not only written in publications and conservation efforts but etched into the lives he influenced, the family he cherished and the landscapes he helped preserve for generations to come.