Sam J. Thieme

Sam Johnson Thieme, 26, of Crosby, North Dakota, and formerly of Fergus Falls, died April 7, 2021, of a brain aneurysm at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.
Sam was born on June 2, 1994, in Fergus Falls, the only child of Paul Thieme and Geri Johnson. Sam entered the world as a gregarious boy, spending his youth in the outdoors surrounded by a menagerie of animals, friends of all ages and lots of space for creative projects. He debuted his entrepreneurial skills in third grade with his SamBam Bows business, making and selling kids’ archery sets for Kids In Business Day. He also loved music, and played viola, guitar, and sang. He was always a voracious reader with his reading forming the basis for his many self-taught skills throughout life.
In the typical adventurous nature that was Sam, he finished high school early and headed west. He landed in northwestern Nebraska first, where he worked for Sandstone Feeders, did a variety of farm and ranch work in the Hemingford area, served as a volunteer firefighter, received training at Butler’s Farrier School in Crawford, Nebraska, and even hauled cattle to market by the truckload.
In 2015, he moved to Vermillion, South Dakota, and drove over the road for Schoellerman Trucking and Viessman Trucking, which allowed him the freedom to experience the open road and see a good share of the country. He also worked for Midwest Ready Mix and Equipment, handling leasing and rental of heavy equipment. Meanwhile, he taught himself to write code for computer-controlled lathes, and established Midwest Migration Company, designing, manufacturing and marketing goose calls. In 2018 he moved to Williston, North Dakota, where he got involved in the fracking industry, and a short time later relocated to Dunn Center, North Dakota, where he established Thieme Energy Solutions, LLC and served as operation manager of Stray Creek Services, a company providing a variety of transportation, excavation and construction services, in a multistate area.
In August of 2019 Sam met his fiancée, Tierany Johnson, in Crosby, North Dakota. They shared many of the same interests and life goals and fell in love quickly. Sam was warmly and sincerely welcomed into her family and circle of friends. They spent a great deal of time together traveling, cooking with friends and sharing in life’s greatest moments. Sam found great happiness in the love and life that he and Tierany shared together. They were to have been married next year.
Sam was a man of many talents, passions and interests. He was a designer and builder who loved to work with wood and steel. He was an expert welder and an excellent heavy equipment operator. He had an artist’s eye and an entrepreneur’s spirit. He loved flying and was in the process of modifying a Piper Super Cub into a one-of-a-kind bush plane. Sam was an avid hunter and fisherman, and loved spending time outdoors. He was independent, curious and adventurous, hardworking, generous and giving. His final and ultimate gift was the gift of his organs for transplant to save others’ lives.
Survivors include his parents, Geri Johnson of Fergus Falls, and Paul Thieme of Elizabeth; his stepmother, Denise Keys of Elizabeth; his fiancee, Tierany Johnson of Crosby, North Dakota; a stepbrother, Landen Stein of Fergus Falls; a stepsister, Shena Garcia of Fargo; his grandmother, Phyllis Thieme of Broomfield, Colorado; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Warren and Lorna Johnson of Fergus Falls, and Wilford (Bill) Thieme of Lafayette, Colorado.
Celebrations of Sam’s life will be held in both Fergus Falls and Crosby, North Dakota, in the near future. He will be deeply missed.