Jason Bertsch

Jason Lynn Bertsch of Bismarck passed away just before midnight on Tuesday, September 16th, at the age of 46, from pancreatic and liver cancer. He was born in Minot on July 17th, 1979, and grew up in Bismarck. He attended Simle Jr. High and graduated from Bismarck High School in 1997.

A fantastic drummer and musician, Jason played in Bismarck and Minneapolis DIY bands Burning Geisha and The Vexed, among others, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Burning Geisha’s song “Sleep” was included in KFYR Radio’s 1st Annual Home-Grown Talent Collection. He was a passionate autodidact who experimented with technology, especially video and audio production, and supported other musicians in the Bismarck area by recording their shows. You can experience Jason’s drumming mastery (see The Vexed live show videos) and various video productions on his YouTube channel, blazing64.

He was tireless in solving a challenge and had knack for retrofitting anything mechanical or electronic including his bodybuilding equipment.

Jason loved people. He was generous, kind, and enjoyed helping friends and family with everything from buying cars to childcare. His niece insisted that he brush her hair every morning before going to school because he was so gentle with her knots. Just weeks ago, he helped his sister buy golf clubs and spent three days chopping a large fallen tree in his mother’s yard with a chainsaw.

His sense of humor was both zany yet thought-provoking, shedding a different light on the world for those who listened.

Jason faced mental health challenges that instigated a cascading assault on his overall health. We encourage anyone struggling with either a physical or mental health problem to seek help immediately before it becomes unstoppable.

Jason was preceded in death by his father, Vernon Jerry Bertsch, and is survived by his mother, Anita Louise (Bugbee) Bertsch and special friend Ray; his three sisters and their husbands, Sherry and Mike Cordes, Nancy and Glen Moser, Colleen Bertsch and Juan Christian Kuffner; niece MacKenzie and Ford Anderson and their son, Briar (and baby coming soon); and many extended family members.

May you rest in peace, Jason, our uncle, brother, and son. We love you more than you could have ever known.

A visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m., followed by funeral service at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, September 21, 2025, at Bismarck Community Church, 1617 Michigan Avenue. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, with a reception at the church afterward.