President Tisa Mason presented Jeff Nathan with the Valley City State University Distinguished Service Award at a meeting of the VCSU Foundation Board in the Student Center Skoal Room on Monday, June 12.In her remarks, President Mason cited Nathan’s longstanding commitment to Valley City State University. A founding member of the VCSU Foundation Board, this fall will mark his 21st year of service with the board. Nathan currently serves the board as treasurer and a member of the finance committee. He has also served on VCSU’s V-500 Board. The university’s highest honor, the VCSU Distinguished Service Award is given at the discretion of the president in recognition of exceptional contribution to the university’s vision. Since its 1975 inception, the award has been given to a total of 25 individuals and organizations, including Nathan.Owner of Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel in Valley City, Nathan is a member of the Valley City Kiwanis Club, Optimist Club, Eagles Club, and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.A North Dakota native, Nathan earned a bachelor’s degree in mortuary science from Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. He is also an honors graduate of the Dallas (Texas) Institute of Funeral Service.In 1990, Nathan came to work at Oliver’s Chapel on Central Avenue in Valley City. In 1991 he bought into the business, and in 1996 he became sole owner of Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel. In 1999, Jeff's father, Dennis Nathan, joined him as an assistant.Nathan and his wife, Teresa, live in Valley City along with her children, Grace and Andrew Tangen. Jeff also has three adult children—son Joshua Nathan (wife JoEllen) of Valley City; Erica Eggers (husband Brian) of Apple Valley, Minn.; and Amber Pederson (husband Carl) of Valley City—along with eight grandchildren.Teresa (Dooher) Nathan is a 2003 graduate of VCSU, and Amber Pederson is a 2011 graduate of Dakota College at Bottineau’s nursing program, which is hosted on the VCSU campus.