Edward Ohman

INFLUENCER” - the first 44 years

The above word to describe my dad, Eddie Ohman, is a relatively new term, one directly related to social media, of which he was largely ignorant. But what I know of his early years, through conversations with those who knew him best, and my own observations, were of someone possessing an extremely high EQ (emotional quotient - another very contemporary term). He could walk into a room and light it up with his warmth, energy & wit, his inclusiveness and sincere interest in those he sought to know. He was handsome, outgoing, winsome, and had a persuasive personality. If asked, the most important thing in his life, both then and now, were Jesus first, his family second, and using who he was for God and His Kingdom in those relationships and beyond with every friendship he had. Social media aside, he was an influencer.

LIFE SKETCH

Edward Melford Ohman was born February 5, 1939, the third of eventually five children, at home in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, to Mel and Verona Ohman. They as a family moved later to Fergus Falls, about 20+ miles away, for most of his school days through high school. He loved and played basketball passionately, eventually being on the Fergus Falls High School team that was first to go to the Minnesota High School Basketball State Tournament, playing a quick & sneaky guard as a senior in high school, class of 1958. Being athletic, intelligent and driven to succeed, he surprisingly chose to go to North Central Bible College and School of Music in Minneapolis to pursue becoming a minister. While there for two years, his love of music and singing, previously in his family church of Assembly of God, now expanded to being part of an all male quartet, and also trio, that sang extensively at the college & affiliated churches. His love of music would later extended into singing with mom and all of us whenever driving, him harmonizing, and later singing trios with Lisa and I at church whenever we could. Us kids all thought every family sang the song “Happy Birthday” in four part harmony in perfect pitch! Music to this day extends deeply into & outwardly from the lives of all his subsequent family. 

At age 20, Eddie became reacquainted with Renee Brandhagen, a classmate known first in 7th grade band class, she playing saxophone and he trombone. Their first date was Christmas of ‘59, he “helping” her babysit on Christmas Eve, whereupon after, they went together to a midnight Christmas Eve service. When he got home that early Christmas morning, he awakened his mom and told her he’d met the girl he was going to marry. And he did - seven months later, July 30, 1960. 

They made their home in Fargo-Moorhead, both having ended their college educations, with him turning his innate persuasive and influential personality toward sales: for Stroller Chair, themselves being their first client in buying things for me; JC Penney’s - as a shoe salesman; as an orderly at both St. Lukes and St. John’s Hospitals at the same time, and another job selling baby furniture. They as a couple attended Covenant Church, where they met many of their lifelong friends, mentors and business associates. They then attended Bethel Evangelical Free Church, and later, in the early 1970’s, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, my mom’s family church, citing the reason for the change because they provided children the teaching about Jesus starting at birth versus not until school age at their previous churches.

In business, a key person in their first church, influenced my dad and them as a couple into real estate, property management and rentals, eventually employing dad in his real estate company at Asp Realty. As their family grew quickly, so did their business savvy and independence. The Chip and Joanna Gaines of their day, they would buy and flip or rent properties, “wheeling and dealing,” with Ed being the brains & upfront personality and Renee the artsy, innate decorator that turned internal vision into reality and sales. 

As myself (Michelle), Lisa, then Chad all came in quick succession, followed later by Nicole and Matt, anyone who knew my dad, knew that he loved children. They gravitated toward him instinctively, and he took an uncharacteristic-for-the-day involvement in our child rearing. We would have been a family of 10-11 kids, not just 5, had all lived to be born. And he would have LOVED it! He DID love it! When Wayne and I went from 3, to 4, to 5 and then 6 kids, and his dad was verbally questioning our course, my dad!? He would exuberantly welcome the news of another coming grandchild, and tell us to keep on going! Today, 27 total grands & great grandkids are their legacy. 

“SURVIVER” - last 41 years 

April 1, 1983 marked a change in my dad and in our family forever after. Both he and mom were involved in a car accident he should never have survived. With myself being the only one married and independent, what seemed a charmed and successful life, changed for us all to one of struggle: financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually. As we ALL know, life and its challenges spare no one. The youngest two, Nicole and Matthew, were still in grade school, and the second, Lisa, in college. Chad was about to graduate from high school. Mom, ever dad’s sidekick, never front and center, by necessity, had to take over. His business, already hit hard by the recession of the late 1970’s-early 80’s, went belly up after the accident. Lisa, by necessity, put herself through college and medical school. Chad, struggled with the same need to support himself, found his forte in working IT. Nicole and Matthew eventually did the same - Nicole put herself through nursing school, and Matthew, the military to become a fighter pilot for the US Air Force. 

Following the accident, the two youngest, then 11 and 6 y/o, never knew the dad of success and respect. They only knew the one who struggled with depression and bipolar, never recovering what he once was. Renee, too, struggled to provide for them, trying to navigate their new reality, and where God fit into all this. And sometimes He didn’t seem to be there. She owned & managed Renee’s Boutique both at West Acres Mall in Fargo and then later in their lake home where she showcased her talent in finding and marketing local artists. When that didn’t quite do it, she tried her hand at real estate. Eventually dad landed on a less stressful, but again, sales business of Fire Safety, recharging and providing fire extinguishers from the back of his mini van to surrounding farmers, small businesses and the nearby Hutterite farms. They lost all of of his previous 40+ homes, rentals, and apartment buildings, and turned to living in all they had left - our lake home on Pelican Lake. 

Survivor - is what we all learned to be, and in scripture, it says, “all things, every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose,” Romans 8:38 TPT version. Also in John 10:10 it says, “A thief has only one thing in mind — he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I (Jesus) have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect — life in its fullness until you overflow.” Both verses capture my dad’s essence: where Satan sought to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus has come behind to work all things together for good. He not only survived, but he healed and grew in love & loved deeply: his Lord, his wife, his family and all he came in contact with.

The last days of his life crystallized all he lived for. On July 1, Matthew and his family having just come from Hawaii, brought them home to the Lakes after nine months of living with Nicole and Paul. Dad promptly fell and his health descent began in earnest. At home. With mom. And each of us in turn. Medical needs and oversight by Lisa as their medical POA, moved hospice into high gear within 24 hours of arriving home. My nursing skills came into play within 48 hours to the end of his life. Matt (and Cindy) always present, financial needs always taken care of, as their financial POA; Nicole went from parent-care, to their son, Andrew, landing in ICU and step-down for a week, returning to the Lakes nine days later to the last stages of Dad’s life. And Chad, navigating & finlally getting the necessary papers from the American Embassy for himself, his wife and 6 y/o son for travel from Bogotá, Columbia.

The sweetest of memories made those last two weeks were of a miraculous comeback and rally on the 4th of July - from unresponsiveness in the morning, to going fishing at 3 pm the same day - and being the winner of the most and biggest fish catch of the day! A day of fishing was a last wish come true. 

AND - even better than that, a prayer circle by us all, even Chad by video-call — encircling Dad, lifting him in prayer, remembering and blessing him as he left us. I will never, ever forget those precious moments! Never. 

Now we bring his life to be remembered and celebrated with you. We want to celebrate his passionate love for Jesus, for his wife, his family - and you! Full circle — there is nothing more important as a life lived to love. An influencer again. Amen. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Verona Ohman, his oldest sister, Shirley (Ohman) Sha; his older brother Gordon Ohman, and survived by his younger sister Betts (Arne,died 2021) Jacobson (Bill) Reese, and younger sister Naomi (Bill) Smith. 

He is survived by his wife Renee Eldeen (Brandhagen) Ohman: 

Children/Grandchildren: Michelle (Wayne) Morrison, their kids- son, Christopher (Kari) Morrison: Jett, Jax, Jemma & Joss; daughter, Lawren (Ronny) Fogg; daughter, Alyssa (Jonny) Vliet: Liam, Lawson & Lincoln; son, Tyler (Morgan) Morrison; daughter, Katie (Griffin) Prusia; son, Nicholas Morrison. 

Lisa (Mark) Erhard, their kids - sons Clayton and Christian Erhard; daughters, Natalie and Isabelle Erhard. 

Chad (Marisol) Ohman & son Mateo; kids: also older children - daughters Shaylee and Kalyn Ohman, son, Grayden Ohman. 

Nicole (Paul) Schmidt, their kids - daughter, Lindsey (almost son-in-law Alex Guggenberger 10.5.24) Schmidt, daughter, Hannah Schmidt, son, Andrew Schmidt. 

Matthew (Cindy) Ohman, their kids, son, Xander, daughter, Tae, son, Cole.

Written as a last gift to my dad, 

 Michelle Ohman Morrison