Dean Ronald Humphrey

Dean Ronald Humphrey, 96, of Fargo, ND, passed away Monday, October 24, 2016, at home under the care of his loving wife, Helen, Hospice, and Home Instead Senior Care.

Dean was born at home in Englevale, ND, to William Ralph (W.R.) and Grace (Jeffords) Humphrey. He grew up on the farm and attended schools near Englevale. Dean graduated from Lisbon High School in 1938. He served his country in the Aleutian Islands during WWII, receiving the Good Conduct Ribbon plus Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with one Battle Star. After the war he worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, retiring in 1982 after 35 years.

Dean met his wife, Helen Schoeszler, on a blind date in 1947 and they married June 12, 1949, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lisbon, ND, where he was baptized and confirmed.

They moved to Wahpeton, then Moorhead, and in 1957 they moved to Fargo where they raised their family. Dean and Helen were members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Moorhead and became members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fargo in 1958.

He played ball at Lisbon High, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and on the Legion team. He bowled on the NW Telephone bowling league. Dean was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 472, member of the American Legion and a member of the Telephone Pioneers. Dean loved to fish, watch football, especially the NDSU Bison, and exercise. He was an avid gardener and reader. A large part of his retirement years were spent with the “Fixer Upper” group at Immanuel Lutheran Church. His church and his family were very important to him. He was well loved by his family, church, friends, and Trollwood Village community and will be missed.

Dean is survived by his wife of 67 years and his children: Larry (Joyce Smith), Vancouver, WA; Barry (Bonnie Paradis), Minot, ND; and Charlene (John) Goodyear, Fargo; 5 grandchildren--David Goodyear, Fargo; Krystal (Brian) Haugen, Moorhead, MN; Bryan, Derek and Kyle Humphrey, Vancouver, WA; and 2 great grandchildren, Isabella Goodyear, Fargo and Lillian Haugen, Moorhead. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Lorraine (Roy) Chesley, Oakes, ND; step siblings, Willard Voss, Lisbon, ND and Alma (Gerald) Kopp, St. Paul, MN, and many nieces and nephews, and their families, whom he loved dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step mother, Helen (Belz Voss) Humphrey; premature babies, Jerry and Susan, and siblings, Fowler (Alice) Humphrey, Viola (Richard) Brown, Dorothy (Joe) Neff, Duane Humphrey and Barbara (Jim) Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church Building on the Word, and Hospice of the Red River Valley.