Bryan Thiessen
Obituary
On Tuesday morning, a borrowed heart gave way and Bryan Wayne Thiessen, surrounded by family, passed to be with the Lord.
Bryan was a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, being born in Roseau, Minnesota and growing up on the farm near South Junction, Manitoba. From a young age, Bryan worked in the bush with his father cutting spruce for rails, pulp and Christmas trees. On the farm, making hay and tending the beef cattle helped establish his work ethic. For recreation, Bryan played baseball and hockey, often with his brother Allan by his side.
After he graduated, Bryan worked for a while at Green Pastures group home, taking courses at Red River College for Youth Care Worker. Bryan then began work at Polaris in Roseau, Minnesota and received training as a welder.
In 2001, Bryan married Alissa Nelson of Williston, North Dakota. They moved close to Minneapolis and Bryan worked at the Polaris plant in Osceola, Wisconsin. In 2003, they moved to Williston where they raised their two children: Hailey (2002) and Landon (2004). Bryan worked as a welder making oil storage bins and eventually got the entrepreneurial urge to start his own trucking company, hauling water and frack sand for oil rigs.
Like his father, Bryan was a lifelong Yankees fan and went on several baseball trips to New York City with his father, Allan, and brother-in-law Cam. Although his business kept him busy, Bryan always looked forward to Christmas gatherings at the family farm in South Junction to see his parents and siblings, and to mercilessly tease his nieces and nephews, especially if they were brave enough to bring a date to dinner.
In 2020, Bryan bought a cabin at Moose Lake to be able to spend more time with family and hoping to slow down and enjoy the peace.
In 2020, Bryan was remarried, to Denise Pidhirney, a former Sprague resident. Together they ran his business and spent time at their beautiful home with their dog, Blue. Unfortunately, in July of 2021, Bryan suffered a heart attack. Thankfully, Bryan received a heart and kidney transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Bryan was granted time to slow down and spend more time with family, and to relax at Moose Lake. However, after four years of health battles, Bryan passed away in the hospital at Bismark, North Dakota on October 21st, 2025.
The funeral will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Country Church in South Junction, Manitoba. Seating is limited. Outside overflow will be available. Reception to follow at the home of Allan Thiessen.
Bryan was pre-deceased by his father, Andrew Thiessen in 2017.
He leaves to mourn his wife Denise, mother Diane, sister Nancy Brown (Cam), brother Allan Thiessen (Brenda), Bryan’s children Hailey and Landon Thiessen, Denise’s children Stephanie Ducharme (children Jacob, Carter, Sadie), Chris Ducharme, nieces and nephews Andrew Brown (Danielle), Matthew Brown (Madison, children Jovie, Drew), Rachel Poblano (Joe), Naomi Brown (fiancé Reece Gilbert), Chad Thiessen (Lisa, children Mina, Toby, Ronny), Katelin Thiessen (partner Steven Corneliusen).
The family would like to thank the caring staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Sanford Hospital in Bismark, North Dakota.
