Lawrence Lyle “Pete” Naaden, 98, Braddock, ND, was welcomed into Christ’s arms on May 14, 2026.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, May 20, at St. Katherines Catholic Church, 200 1st Ave N, Braddock, ND.

A Visitation will be held from 6:30 - 7:30, Tuesday, May 19, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, with a Rosary starting at 7:30.

Burial will be at the St. Katherines Catholic Church, Braddock.

Pete was born August 14, 1927, at the ranch in Braddock, ND, to Thore and Birdie (Tracy) Naaden. He graduated from Braddock High in 1944 and began his long farming/ranching career immediately. On November 29, 1947, he married Mary Ellen Marx. In his words, “Probably the most important and fulfilling moment in my adult life was in November of 1947. I had taken instructions to join the Catholic Church all summer. I had never been baptized so on Monday evening, I was baptized, Tuesday morning I went to Mass and received Communion for the first time and Saturday Mary Ellen and I were married.”

They farmed at several locations over five years and ultimately operated the Naaden Ranch at Braddock. Ranching was in Pete’s bones, and he was very good at it. He was innovative and an early adopter of new farming techniques like no-till planting and pathogen-free hog operations. He was an avid reader of farm magazines and applied what he learned to adopt new farming methods. He was an eternal optimist – especially when asked about his crops.

Only politics could tear Pete away from the ranch; he was elected to the ND State Senate in 1972 and became a rare freshman appointed to the Appropriations Committee that endured through his 28-year tenure. He relished traveling door-to-door and farm-to-farm to talk directly with his constituents and remained active for many years after retirement.

Pete loved playing whist and especially loved winning at whist. But he and Mary Ellen never played as partners; they maintained that was the secret to their happy 74-year marriage. He also loved to fish. As his kids and grandkids can attest, he didn’t seem to love making sure the boat was in complete working order and fueled up with paddles loaded. But he did always remember to pack sandwiches, and his torturous (we thought) rule: no one could eat until the first fish was caught.

Pete was proud of his heritage, and Norwegian dumplings was a special family tradition. Mary Ellen perfected the Naaden recipe – but not without controversary. In later years, Pete’s job was to add the flour; once as he sat mixing he confided to a daughter, “Your mother always tells me I put in too much flour.” Shortly after, Mary Ellen passed by, glanced into the bowl and said, “Pete, you’re putting in too much flour!” (He was.)

Perhaps Pete’s greatest accomplishment was to commission Cross on the Prairie on the ranch near Braddock. Inspiration came to him in a dream following a miraculous recovery from a stroke, and Pete and Mary Ellen realized the shrine would remind people of God’s love and promise of redemption. People from across the country and internationally have visited this peaceful site.

Pete is survived by daughters Karen (Ken) Karls, Bismarck, ND; Gail (John) Geddes, Broomfield, CO; Connie (David) Sprynczynatyk, Bismarck, ND; Janice (Jerry) Hystad, Helena, MT; Marlys (Jay) Fisher, Minot, ND; Nita Anderson, Riverdale, ND; Laurie (Steve) Miller, Scottsdale, AZ; Carol (Dan) Weiler, Minneapolis, MN; and Jeanne (Dan) Flaherty, Watertown, SD; by son David (Denise), June Lake, CA; daughter-in-law Tami, Braddock, ND; son-in-law Randy Wissink, Spring, TX; 59 grandchildren, 102 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Mary Ellen, daughters Mary Geralyn and Ellen, son Mark, son-in-law Gary Anderson, granddaughter Anne Sprynczynatyk, grandsons Craig Hystad and Raymond Naaden and great-granddaughter Isla Lunde; brothers Christian, Burton, Theodore and Bjorne; and sisters Mame Eilertson, Olga Fallgatter and Susie Sherritt.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to St. Katherine Catholic Church, Braddock, University of Mary or the Bismarck Diocese Fund for Seminary Education.

We send our heartfelt thanks to the staff at St. Vincent’s Care Center.