Gail Thomas “Tom” Borgen
Services will be determined at a later date for Gail Thomas “Tom” Borgen, who passed away at home on Sept. 26, 2025, in Detroit Lakes, Minn., from cancer under the care of Hearts in Action-Hospice. He was surrounded by family.
Tom was born on Nov. 12, 1947, in Langdon, N.D., to Ethel (Lieber) and Carl Borgen. Tom grew up in Hannah, N.D., and graduated from high school in 1965. Tom worked for the Romfo family in Hannah as a teen. After one semester at Mayville State Teachers College, he found work with Lewis Clark Construction out of Walhalla driving gravel trucks.
Tom married Nola Koehmstedt in 1967. They were blessed with three beautiful girls: Holly, Heather, and Jennifer, while they were in Washington state where Tom drove trucks for NW Glass, Boeing and Best Way Motor Freight. He was a shop steward for the Teamsters Union. After 14 years in the Seattle area, the family returned to N.D. to work on the Koehmstedt family farm. Tom was active in promoting canola in N.D. and nationally. He was a member and past president of the Northern Canola Growers and board member of the US Canola Association. Tom was inducted in the North Dakota Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2021 for his contributions with canola. Tom was also active in the community as a Cavalier County commissioner.
After retiring, Tom and Nola moved to Fargo, N.D. and he liked to spend time in Detroit Lakes flying his Czech Sportcruiser aircraft and having coffee with friends. He also enjoyed traveling to the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisc., and traveling to Florida with friends.
Tom is survived by his wife, Nola (Koehmstedt); daughters: Holly (Russ) Saari and children Greg Mortensen and Kristen (Matt) Mimmick and great-grandson Miles; Heather (Ted) Kiebke and son Thomas (Alyssa) Sorum; Jennifer (Kevin) Goetz and children Madelyn (Riley Gerding) and Elle; siblings Shelley (Wally) Bedard and Turrie Borgen; and sister-in-laws: Audrey (Bob) Austin, Pat Borgen, and Helen Borgen. Tom is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Tom was preceded in death by parents Carl and Ethel Borgen; siblings: Carl Jr., Faye (Terry) Lyons, Donald Borgen; granddaughter Megan Sorum- Larson; in-laws Stanley and Alma (Lemieux-Chaput) Koehmstedt; and brothers-in-law Denny and Jimmy Chaput.
Special thanks to Hearts in Action- Hospice for their care, especially
Please consider making donations in Tom’s name to HIA Health of Detroit Lakes, Minn. or Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders of Langdon, N.D. https://www.cavaliercountycancercrusader. com https://www.hiahealth.org/give/ grateful-friends-family/ Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of David-Donehower Funeral & Cremation Service in Detroit Lakes, Minn.