Toni Pirkl

On Friday, March 22,2024, Antonia Rae (Pokorny) Pirkl passed away at the age of 78 while in hospice care in Fargo, ND.   Antonia, “Toni” was born March 14, 1946, to Harold and Edna “Peg” Pokorny in Jamestown, ND.  After graduating high school, Toni attended college at Dickinson State where she met her future husband, Larry Pirkl.  Toni and Larry lived in Fargo, ND while Larry finished college and where their first son, Gregory was born.  They moved to California and spent several years living in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley where their second son, Nicholas was born.  During her time in California, Toni, like her mother Peg, was active in local politics.  She was fortunate to have worked with the Tom Hayden political campaign and even spent an evening with his then wife Jane Fonda.

In 1979, Toni and family moved to Los Alamos, NM for Larry’s work where she lived for the next 15 years.  During this time, she and Larry divorced, and Toni moved to Albuquerque, NM where she worked for a non-profit for several years.  She eventually made her way back to Jamestown ND where she spent her remaining years. 

Toni was always a fierce advocate for life-long learning and instilled this in both of her children.  It was this passion for learning that drove her to become a newspaper reporter at the Jamestown Sun when she returned to Jamestown.

Throughout her life, Toni enjoyed reading, writing and learning. Her love of reading was evident from the large number of books she kept on hand no matter where she lived.  She always enjoyed discussions that some might find controversial, which others may have shied away from (politics, religion, etc.).  She lived her life the way she wanted without feeling the need to justify her decisions to anyone but herself.

Toni is survived by both of her sons and their spouses, Dr. Gregory & Evelyn Pirkl and Nicholas & Kalynn Pirkl, and her grandchildren, Jakob, Zachary, Benjamin and Katherine.  She is also survived by her siblings Dr. David Pokorny & his wife Dorothy, Michael Pokorny, Jan Tuel and Susan Bennett-Coyne, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews.

Family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the organization of their choice.

Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 AM, Saturday, April 6, 2024 at Eddy Funeral Home.  A reception will follow at 1883 Club immediately after the service.

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