Brandon Burkemo, 24 of Williston, ND passed away Monday, May 30, 2022 at the CHI St. Alexius Hospital in Williston, ND as a result of a motorcycle accident.

Brandon was born in Traverse City, Michigan to Salina (Cotes) Henke on May 20, 1998. He grew up in Fenton, Michigan with his mother and stepfather Carl, and sister Brittney. He enjoyed playing sports, football, baseball and track were his favorite. Of course, he enjoyed gaming, his ragging was comical. He was a math wiz, that is what drove his passion of tinkering and building things. He got his first job at Jimmy John’s when he was 15, he enjoyed working and earning his own money. Having his own money fueled his passion of collectable shoes and GFuel.

His family moved to North Dakota in 2012, he met the love of his life Kandy Vargas, they were high school sweethearts. They moved to Stephenville, Texas in 2018. They found out they were expecting the first of two boys shortly after they arrived in Texas. They got married December 7, 2018, in Stephenville, Texas. Simon was born December 13, 2018. Just a few months later, 6 to be exact, they found out they were expecting again. Brandon decided to come back out to Williston in January of 2020, he worked in the oil field doing construction. Theodore was born a month later, February 25, 2020. His wife and boys were the loves of his life. He loved to wrestle and play with his boys.

When Brandon made a friend, they became family. He would always lend a helping hand, even if he got nothing in return. When he saw his friend (brother) Eddy’s bike he had to have one. When he purchased his own he was riding it every day he could. That bike was his third child, he bathed it and made sure it always looked good.

Brandon has left behind his wife, Kandy Vargas; two beautiful boys, Simon and Theodore Henke; mother, Salina (Cotes) Henke; stepfather, Carl Henke; sister, Brittney Everson; nephew, Dante Everson; grandmother, Terry Cotes; aunts, uncles, cousins and his many, many friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, John Cotes.