Thomas "Gabe" Gabrielsen

Thomas Calvin Gabrielsen, “Gabe”, 87, was called home to his Heavenly Father on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, surrounded by his loving family at Valley Memorial Home in Grand Forks, ND. Gabe was born in Woodworth, ND on November 22, 1937 to Thomas and June Gabrielsen. His earliest years were spent in Woodworth, ND, Reynolds, ND, and Fertile, MN, following his father, a Lutheran pastor, to various congregations. Gabe spent much of his formative years in Fertile, MN, graduating from Fertile High School in 1955, where he excelled in basketball, football, and baseball. After finishing high school, he enrolled at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN on a football scholarship. His college football career was cut short by a broken leg his freshman year, resulting in the loss of his scholarship. Consequently, he had to leave Concordia College. Fortunately, he was enrolled at Concordia long enough to meet the love of his life, Margy Braathen. Margy and Gabe were married April 10, 1960. In 1961, he completed his college education at Moorhead State with a major in social studies and minors in art and coaching. He later completed a masters degree in counseling and guidance from the University of North Dakota. After graduating from Moorhead State, his teaching and coaching career began in 1962 in McVille, ND. In 1964, he relocated to Carrington, ND where he coached basketball, football, and Babe Ruth Baseball. In 1968, Gabe accepted positions at Red River High School as both a teacher and coach and moved his young family to Grand Forks. He spent the next 50 years coaching boys basketball, boys golf, girls golf, teaching US History, running the Vocational CORE program, and serving as a guidance counselor, before retiring in 1997. Retirement, however, did not agree with Gabe… or Margy! Therefore, he jumped at an opportunity to become part-time Commons Supervisor back at Red River. Despite his love for “the kids” and staff, he had to step aside for health reasons in 2018.

 As a coach, he had a great deal of success winning multiple state and conference championships in both golf and basketball. He also earned national high school golf coach awards and was elected into the North Dakota High School Coaches Hall of Fame. Despite Gabe’s passion for sports, it never took priority over his concerns for his students and colleagues, to whom he had a remarkable capacity to love, genuinely care for, and develop connections with. Many have stayed in touch with him to this day.

 Gabe’s compassion for others was forged in his childhood. Growing up as the oldest son of a Lutheran pastor, he came to love and accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Gabe and Margy shared their deep and abiding faith, volunteering countless hours at United Lutheran Church and various charities around the area, where they were richly blessed with many wonderful friends over the years. The tremendous love and compassion he showed his students, friends, and colleagues was eclipsed only by the endless love received by those of us blessed to call him Husband, Dad, Uncle, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, and Cousin. He is greatly loved and will be greatly missed. May he rest peacefully in the arms of his Almighty Savior! 

Gabe was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years Margy, his father Thomas, mother June; brothers Stephen, Karsten, and Burton. He is survived by daughter Lisa (Jeff) Hoplin, Grand Forks, ND, son Tim (Julie) Gabrielsen, Wayzata, MN. Grandchildren: Paul Hoplin, Luke Hoplin, John (Rachel) Hoplin, Elisabeth (Landon) Ridpath, Grand Forks, ND; Greta Gabrielsen, Ashley Gabrielsen, Wayzata, MN. Great granddaughter: Aletta Hoplin, Grand Forks, ND

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at United Lutheran Church, 324 Chestnut St., Grand Forks. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Amundson Funeral Home, Grand Forks, and one hour prior to the service in the church. Interment will be at Little Norway Cemetery, Fertile, Minnesota.  Memorials are preferred to Valley Senior Living or Grand Forks Foundation for Education

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