Michael W. "Skip" Kotchman

Michael Wayne (Skip) Kotchman, age 68, died at home on his farm north of Mountain, ND on September 17, 2014 from complications of esophageal cancer. He was born on October 31, 1945 in Langdon, ND to Mike and Mildred Kotchman of Hallson, ND. He went to Beaulieu Township School and Cavalier High School. After two years at the Bottineau School of Forestry, he attended North Dakota State University and received an undergraduate and graduate degree in entomology.
On July 5, 1968 he married the former Jean Kauppila of Mountain Iron, MN. Shortly thereafter, Skip served in Viet Nam with a group of fellow Air Force personnel as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Air Force where he was always the studier and observer. When he returned home the couple began farming what was to become Campbell Beach Farm and Nursery as it was located on a beach of ancient Glacial Lake Agassiz. In addition to raising crops, he was well known for growing Christmas trees.
Besides farming he worked for NoDak Electric, did crop monitoring for AgTech of Cavalier, was on the Walhalla Bank Board of Directors, coordinated and taught courses for Lake Region State College, was a Farm Credit Counselor for the State of North Dakota, and worked for ITT Federal Electric Corporation conducting inventory on various closed missile sites in North Dakota and along the DEW line in northern Canada as well as contract writing.
Skip demonstrated his belief in the citizen's responsibility for land and water conservation. He was a long-time member of the International Coalition of Land/Water Stewardship in the Red River Valley and the Pembina County Soil Conservation Board. He also believed in community service. He was a board member of both the Mountain Community Center Steering Committee and Mountain Community Center Capital Campaign Committee, and a member of the Mountain American Legion. He was a member and served as president of the North Dakota Christmas Tree Growers Association and served as the treasurer of the Pembina Hills Lutheran Church for many years.
He was named Outstanding Tree Farmer by the Christmas Tree Growers Association. He and Jean were recognized with a Soil Conservation Award from the Pembina County Soil Conservation District.
He will be remembered as storyteller, teacher, loyal friend, animal lover, hunter, fisherman, "Boppa", and a man who could easily keep a whole room laughing with his unique sense of humor. He collected books, particularly American History, and was an avid reader. He could "discuss" issues of the day with an understanding of all sides of an argument as well as having knowledge of the facts involved.
He is survived by his daughter, Margaux Lindsay, her husband Shawn, and their children Carsen and Meris of Cavalier, ND; his brother, Larry Kotchman, and his wife Alice of Bottineau, ND; his sister-in-law Joyce Hansen and her husband Hans of Mountain Iron, MN; his brother-in-law, John Kauppila, and his wife Susan of Tower MN; nephew, Brent Kotchman and his wife Emily, Brooklyn Park, MN; niece, Katie Kotchman and her husband Noah Charlap, Stamford, CT; and his loving companion, Jaymee Kjelland, of Champlin, MN.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Jean Kauppila Kotchman; his parents, Mike and Mildred Kotchman; and his sister-in-law, Kathleen Kauppila.
A memorial service will be held at Vikur Lutheran Church, Mountain, ND, on Saturday, September 20 2014, at 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Mountain Community Center Capital Campaign, P.O. Box 65, Mountain, ND 58262; the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation, P.O. Box 821, Manalapan, NJ 07726; or Trees for North Dakota Trust Fund, NDSU-North Dakota State Forest Service, 307 1st St East, Bottineau, ND 58318.