Scott E. Erling

Scott Erling, 73, of Bismarck, passed away May 5, 2025, at Good Samaritan Society - Sunset Drive, Mandan.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Bismarck Funeral Home.

Born on August 27, 1951 to John and Lois Erling in Bismarck, Scott was a proud North Dakotan through and through. He was raised in Bismarck, where he attended school and graduated from Bismarck High School in 1969.

Scott began working for Northern Improvement during his high school summers and continued with the company after graduation. In 1975, after four years of courtship, he married the love of his life, Terri Bryson. Together, they built a life full of adventure, hard work, and love, raising two sons and a daughter.

In 1978, after learning to weld, Scott made the bold decision to hit the road repairing draglines-work that took the family across the country. He had a deep love for travel, and those years of seeing new places together were some of his most treasured. When it was time to put down roots again, the family returned to Bismarck in 1989. Scott rejoined Northern Improvement and later accepted a position at Coteau Mines in Beulah in 1994. He retired in 2000 due to a work-related injury, closing the chapter on a career built on grit and skill.

Outside of work, Scott was a man of many passions. He loved the outdoors-hunting and fishing whenever he could. A devoted football fan, he was especially proud of his impressive Dallas Cowboys memorabilia collections. He didn’t just root for the Cowboys; he lived for them.

Above all else, Scott was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Terri and their children, Jacy (Lara), Katie (Jason) and Todd (Rachel). He was a beloved grandfather to six grandchildren, Kayden, Espen, Tenly, Chevi, Ben and Olivia. He is also survived by his siblings, Greg (Linda) Erling, Patti (Richard) Braun, Chuck (Tina) Erling and Jon (Kim) Erling; brother-in-law, Robert Bryson and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Scott’s life was also shaped by a lifelong brotherhood of close friends-his “brothers,” whose bond with him was unbreakable. You know who you are and you know how much he loved you.

To know Scott was to know someone who was fiercely loyal, deeply loving, and full of stories. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter, strength, and unwavering love for those he held dear.

He is deeply loved and will be missed beyond words.