John L Whitcomb

  John Leslie Whitcomb, 90, Grand Forks, ND, died Friday, October 21, 2016 in Valley Memorial Home Woodside Village.    He was born on April 21, 1926, the son of Noyes Hartly and Marie (Ketterling) Whitcomb, in Flasher, N.D., where he graduated from high school in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps reserve on November 6, 1943, and served on active duty from August 23, 1944, to June 24, 1946.   He received his B.S. in Education.and M.S. from the University of North Dakota with additional graduate work at UND and the universities of Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico State, and Northern Colorado. He taught mathematics and science in high school at Minnewaukan, N.D., from 1950-1953 and at Rolette, N.D., from 1953-1955 where he was also high school principal. He married Beverly Schmid in Minnewaukan, N.D., on July 25, 1954. He was superintendent and taught mathematics at Egeland, N.D., from 1955-1957 and in Portland, N.D., from 1957- 1960. He joined the Mathematics Department at the University of North Dakota in 1960 where he was Director of Freshman Mathematics when he retired in 1988 as Associate Professor Emeritus, Mathematics.   He is survived by his wife, Beverly; a son, Kyle, Grand Forks; daughter, Leslie Erdmann, Phoenix; and daughter, Jill, Grand Forks; five grandchildren, Aleece (Justin) Mero, East Grand Forks, Jenna (Tyler) Magee, Grand Forks, Logan Holt, Bismarck, Garrett and Baylee Jo Diller, Phoenix; great-grandsons, Riley and Chase Mero, East Grand Forks, and great- granddaughters Taylor Mero, East Grand Forks, and Josie Magee, Grand Forks.   He was preceded in death by an infant son, Bradley; a baby daughter;  his parents; sister, Muriel; and brothers, Curtiss and Dale.      .    Memorial Services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, October 29, 2016 in the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Forks. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a 6:30 PM Prayer Service in Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks, ND. Visitation will continue for the hour before the service in the church. Interment will be in the First Presbyterian Church, Grand Forks Columbarium. In Lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to the First Presbyterian Church Columbarium Fund, the NDCTM Scholarship Fund, the UND Math Department; or a charity of choice.