Edward “Ed” Ralph Butenhoff, 89, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Essentia Health Hospital, Fargo, ND.

Ed was born July 18th of 1936 to Edward and Violet (Jackson) Butenhoff. He grew up in the Barnesville area and after graduation from high school moved to California with some friends and found work there.

Upon coming back to the area Ed joined the Air National Guard. (He looked very handsome in his uniform.) He started farming with his father and brothers.

Ed met the love of his life, Clarene Messerschmidt. They were married a short time later at Glyndon Lutheran Church and had three beautiful children together: Alex Taylor, Marc Butenhoff, and Brent Butenhoff.

Ed started farming on his own and grew small grains and potatoes. One of his greatest honors was being President of the Red River Valley Potato Growers Association in Grand Forks, ND. Both Ed and Clarene enjoyed the many trips that were associated with that honor.

After retiring from farming, Ed and Clarene moved to Moorhead where he enjoyed driving city buses. Every year during sugar beet season Ed drove truck for his cousin. You can take the farmer out of the country … but you can’t take the country out of the farmer.

Ed was active at St John’s Lutheran Church in Barnesville and at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Moorhead. In his younger years Ed enjoyed playing softball in Baker for the Baker Bunnies and was a huge sports fan for the Barnesville Trojans and the Minnesota Vikings.

Edward was survived by his wife, Clarene Butenhoff of Moorhead, MN; daughter, Alex (Jay Thomas) Taylor, West Fargo, ND; sons, Marc Butenhoff, Breckenridge, MN, and Brent (Cathy) Butenhoff, West Fargo, ND; grandchildren, Adam Lemke, West Fargo, ND, Brianna (John) Ronquillo, Fargo, ND, Derrek Zaczkowski, Fort Drum, NY, and Ty Zaczkowski, West Fargo, ND; great-granddaughter, Allie, Fargo, ND; and step grandchildren, Beckett, Kendall, and Elliott Thoennes, Moorhead, MN, and Drake and Landon Martinez, Parker, CO; brother, Ron (Hazel) Butenhoff; and sister-in-law, Bev Butenhoff. He is preceded in death by his sister, Janet (Howard) Brown; and siblings-in-law, Curt Butenhoff and Alvin (Fern) Hanson.

Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., followed by the memorial service at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN. A livestream of the service will be available here on Ed's webpage.