Dennis Fred Lenzmeier

Dennis Fred Lenzmeier, 91, died May 18, 2015 in Fargo, surrounded by his loving family.

Dennis was born February 27, 1924, in Kranzburg, SD, to John and Marie (Goldrick Ruhr) Lenzmeier. The family lived in several towns in southeastern North Dakota, including Hankinson, Mantador, Wahpeton, and Dwight. Dennis graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1942, but missed the graduation ceremony because he had enlisted in the Army Medical Corps.

During the war, he made seven trips across the Atlantic, ferrying troops and supplies to the European Theater and caring for wounded soldiers on the return trips to the USA. He made a similar trip to Australia. He was part of a large group of medics that landed on the French beaches on June 7, 1944, to triage the wounded from the previous day, D-Day. Dennis was honorably discharged in 1946.

Dennis married Charlotte Ruth Scheibe of Fairmount in December 1947. The couple lived in Minot, Moorhead, and Wahpeton while raising four children. Dennis worked at Red Owl and other grocery chains in managerial positions.

Dennis lived in Minneapolis, New Brighton, and Tempe, AZ, before returning to Wahpeton and Fargo.

He married JoAnn Miller Bohn, formerly of Great Bend, in 1995 in Fargo. He loved her daughters as he loved his own children.

Dennis was an avid duck and deer hunter and was thankful to the landowners who allowed him to hunt on their property. He was a league bowler for many years at Red River Lanes in Fargo. He enjoyed reading and doing the crossword puzzle in the Forum (the harder one). Dennis both loved and was frustrated by the Twins and the Vikings. He was a lifelong VFW member, most recently in West Fargo, and of the Forty & Eight Society.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Laverne “Bud”, Harold “Sport” (Hattie), Carroll “Bill” (Marilyn), John (Rose), infant Frank, Douglas (Rosalie, Henrietta), and Lyle “Terry” (Gail); and his sisters Rosemary (Les) Bergman, Audrea, and infant Sheila.

He is survived by his wife, JoAnn; his brothers, Ralph (Renee) and Robert (Connie); his sisters, Leone (Dennis) Medenwaldt, Juanita (Howard) Steen, Muriel “Kitty” (Roger) Olson, and Ellyn Stevenson Thompson; his children, Dick, Mary, Chuck, and Dan; son Dick’s ex-wife, Mary Dufner, and their children, Sarah (Julio) Sotillo (daughters Mia and Sabana), Jon (Sayaka Ito) (daughter Moka), Tim, and Meghan; daughter Mary’s husband, Brad Allen and their daughters, Kate (Michael Coggins), Jessica, Rachel, and Brynn (Ethan) Snell; son Chuck’s wife, Valerie Williams and their daughter Anna; JoAnn’s daughters, Bev Bohn (Dave Evenson) and Cindy (Jim) Brownlee; Cindy and Jim’s children, Leah (Mike) Wachna and Jace (Erin) (daughter Emilia); and many beloved brothers- and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Salvation Army or to Hope Care at Hope Lutheran Church.