June 1, 1916 - Feb. 23, 2005
WILLISTON, N.D. - Funeral services for
Gerhardt "Gary" Pfeifer,
88, of Williston, formerly of Tioga, N.D., will be Saturday,
Feb. 26, 2005, at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Tioga.
Rev. Chris Montgomery will officiate and burial will be in
United Cemetery, Tioga.
Gerhardt Pfeifer was born June 1, 1916, at Dogden, near
Mercer, N.D., one of the eight children of Jacob and Mary (Hensel)
Pfeifer. His father died in the 1918 flu epidemic and after
14 very difficult years as a widow with eight children, Mary
married John Schlag in 1933.
He had 12 children and even though some of each family had
left home, this still left a large number of mouths to feed.
The Pfeifers and Schlags, now combined, made 20 brothers and
sisters. Through the years, these two families showed
nothing but respect, appreciation and love through
continuous greetings, celebrations and whatever excuse they
could come up with to be together. Now there are only two
surviving.
Gary entered the U.S. Army on Jan. 18, 1941 in Fargo, N.D.
He served in Normandy, Northern France and the Rhineland. He
earned the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Service
Medal, American Defense Service Medal, and two overseas
service bars. He was honorably discharged on Sept. 4, 1945
at Camp McCoy, Wis.
Gary married Lydia Eisenbeisz at Martin, N.D. in 1941. They
built a home in Tioga in 1955. During his lifetime, his
employment history included: the farm, railroad and the
Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939 at Sidney, Mont. He also
worked as a blacksmith, mechanic and welder, truck driver
and retired from the Tioga Gas Plant in 1975, after working
there for 27 years.
Gary took care of Lydia, who suffered from Alzheimer's
disease for more than 14 years, until she died in 2002. Gary
lived in his home in Tioga until moving into an assisted
living facility in September 2003, after a bout of
pneumonia. He died on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 in Williston.
He enjoyed challenges and was a very determined,
straightforward, kind and gentle man. Tioga was maybe a
friendlier town because of Gary's wave or nod when driving
to the post office. He enjoyed fishing, golf and gatherings
of family and friends. He was a 50-year continuous member of
the American Legion Post 0139 of Tioga.
He is survived by five children, Janene (Richard) Halverson
of Williston, Jerome (Kathy) Pfeifer and Timothy (Mary)
Pfeifer all of Phoenix, Ariz., Jolene (Caroll) Luvaas of
Minot and Cynthia (Curt) Krueger of Max, N.D.; 13
grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one sister,
Dorthea Pankow of Bowbells, N.D.; one step-sister, Albina
Lang of Minot; one sister-in-law, Irene Eisenbeisz of
Harvey, N.D.; two brother-in-laws, John Eisenbeisz of
Denver, Colo. and Elmer Adam of Oakes, N.D.
Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife, an infant
son, Ronald, and another son, Jeffrey.
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May 13, 1919-April 9, 2002
TIOGA, N.D. - Lydia
Pfeifer, 82, of Tioga, died Tuesday, April
9, 2002, at the Tioga Nursing Home.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 15, at
the First Lutheran Church in Tioga. The Rev. Chris
Montgomery will officiate and interment will follow at the
United Cemetery in Tioga. A family service will be held at 7
p.m. Sunday at the Fulkerson Funeral Home Chapel in Tioga.
Lydia was born May 13, 1919, at Lincoln Valley, south of
Anamoose, the daughter of Rudolph and Christine (Helm)
Eisenbeisz. She attended Berlin School No. 3 in Sheridan
County near Martin. As a young lady, she remained on the
family farm. She was united in marriage with Gerhardt "Gary"
Pfeifer on March 9, 1941.
She began working at the Tioga Hospital as a nurse's aid in
1961, and retired June 30, 1989, after 28 years of service.
She is remembered by dozens of former and present aids and
nurses, many of whom she helped train to believe in her
philosophy to give the best possible care to her patients.
She did her job to the best of her ability, often beyond
what was required of a hospital employee.
Lydia was a life-long member of First Lutheran Church in
Tioga, where she also had Sunday school and ladies aid
affiliations, the Tioga Hospital Auxiliaries, education and
volunteer groups and the Tioga Women's Bowling League for
30-plus years. She also believed in the Red Cross blood
donation program, when she kept as a faithful regiment,
donating every time the team came to Tioga.
She loved her family and was a friend to all who knew her.
Everyone was always greeted with a smile. Homemade buns,
bread, German Kuchen, and great food were some of the things
she was noted for. She loved to crochet delicate doilies and
afghans for her grandchildren and embroidered stacks of dish
towels and pillow cases.
Lydia was very interested in her German heritage,
discovering eight first cousins in Germany, whom she visited
twice and entertained them on their visits to North Dakota.
Her family genealogy tracings are recorded in her many
notebooks. Clippings from newspapers, magazines and family
achievements are secured in dozens of dated scrapbooks that
were very special to her. Whomever comes to the house can
spend hours recognizing acquaintances, times and places.
Many of the special things in their home are yellow and
fragile with age: Books, poems, pictures, incidents
recorded, mother's and grandmother's special letters and
writings, jewelry and personal keepsakes and mementos. She
especially enjoyed keeping tack of distant friends and
relatives with her upbeat letter correspondence. Lydia and
Gary played countless hours of pinochle with friends and
relatives over the years.
She is survived by her husband, Gary, of Tioga; two sons,
Jerome G. and his wife, Kathy, and Timothy R. and his wife,
Mary, all of Phoenix; three daughters, Janene C. Halverson
and her husband, Richard, of Williston, Jolene M. Luvaas and
her husband, Caroll of Minot and Cynthia G. Krueger and her
husband, Curtis, of Max; 13 grandchildren, Bryan Halverson
of Valley City, JD Halverson and his wife, Angelia, of
Lafayette, La., Jeremy Pfeifer and his wife, Angelia, and
John Pfeifer, both of Phoenix, Paul Pfeifer and his wife,
Jennifer of Shepardsville, Ky., Donna Bye and her husband,
Rolan and Deanne Luvaas, both of Minot, Casey Almer,
Mitchell Almer and his wife, Brandy, and Mark Almer, all of
Tioga, Calvin Krueger and Ethan Krueger, both of Bismarck
and Hope Krueger of Fargo; eight great-grandchildren; and a
brother, John Eisenbeisz of Denver.
Preceding her in death were her parents; two sons, Ronald G.
at three months, in 1943, and Jeffrey C. at 21 years in
1968; two sisters, Christine Adam and Leona Eisenbeisz; and
two brothers, Alfred and Reinhold Eisenbeisz.
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