Devils Lake (ND) Journal, 28 January 1927, page 4: "Burtness Rites Here Saturday. Former Resident of Crary and Prominent University Graduate to Be Laid to Rest in City. Funeral rites for Peter Burtness, 22, resident of Crary for many years, and a recent and prominent graduate of the State University, who died Wednesday morning at the San Haven sanitarium, will be conducted tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock from the St. Olaf Lutheran church with Rev. Wulfsberg of Michigan officiating. Rev. Wulfsberg, for many years a friend of the Burtness family, had officiated at the services when Mr. Burtness was confirmed from a Lutheran church in Crary. Fraternity brothers and classmates will carry the body to the final resting place, in the G.A.R. cemetery. His three sisters, Misses Pearl, Rhoda and Saphronia, the only survivors arrived in the city yesterday and are the guests of friends. Miss Pearl, who was with him when he died, is principal of the Mohall schools and the other two are students at the State University. Though in ill health since contracting the flu about a year ago while a member of the newspaper staff at Rochelle, Ill., his death was unexpected and came as a great shock to his legion of friends in North Dakota. While a student at the University of North Dakota, from which he was graduated with the class of 1925, he won many honors for himself and the groups which he represented, not only on the state campus but from national groups. In 1924 he won the International Reporter's contest sponsored by Sigma Delta Chi, national men's professional journalistic fraternity, of which he was a member. Mr. Burtness took an active part in the journalistic circles on the campus having served as managing editor and editor-in-chief of the Student, undergraduate publication, and associate editor of The Dacatah, an annual. He was also interested in many other student activities. He was a member of the Sigma Nu, national academic fraternity. After being graduated from the university, he was employed for a time at Carrington on the Foster County Independent, prior to going to Rochelle. Mr. Burtness resided at Crary for many years."

[Peter Burtness' death certificate notes his death in Hillside Township, Rolette County, at the tubercular sanatorium of pulmonary tuberculosis with tubercular meningitis contributing. It lists his parents as Peter Burtness, native of Norway, and Susan Wickum, native of Minnesota.]