Garland Grosgebauer

Garland Grosgebauer, 99, died on July 7, 2020 in Bismarck.  Due to COVID-19 concerns, private funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 13, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 1143 N 26th St, Bismarck. To view the service livestream, go to the Lord of Life Church's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Lord-of-Life-Lutheran-Church-477392158939067/

Public visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E Divide Ave, Bismarck.

Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

He was born on May 25, 1921 to William and Leona (Atkinson) Grosgebauer in Mandan. He was raised in Mandan and graduated from Mandan High School.  He had to trust in the Lord at the early age of nine with the death of his mother and again in 1950 with the death of his firstborn baby girl. Through these hardships he never lost his strong faith in God.

After completing Vocational School in Billings, MT, he went to work at the Bremerton Washington Navy Yards as a shipfitter in April 1942.  He worked on the Battleship Missouri, which was being renovated after being bombed during the invasion of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

In October 1942, he went into the Army, serving in a tank regiment which was part of the 12^th Armored Division at what is now Ft. Campbel, KY.  In 1944 he was transferred to Ft. Knox serving with the 779^th Tank Battalion.  While there, he was awaiting to be shipped to North Africa.  But on May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered, and plans were changed.  He was then shipped over to the Pacific Theater with the intention to invade Japan.  Midway to Japan the Japanese surrendered.  He then went on to the Philippine Islands being stationed in Manilla.  He was honorably discharged in February 1946.  Garland then worked at Ft. Lincoln for the Corps of Engineers during the construction of the Garrison Dam.  He then worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for 30 years retiring in August 1978.

On April 11, 1947 he married the love of his life, Thelma “Tudy” Ollenburger, and they lived happily together in Bismarck for 67 years until her passing in 2014.   

In August 1991, Garland became a grandfather and could not have been more blessed. In 1995 he was blessed again with another grandchild and spent many of his years caring for his two grandchildren which were the best moments of his retirement. He couldn’t have been happier.

He was a member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church and enjoyed ushering. He was also a member of the Amvets, Elks, American Legion and VFW Clubs. He loved to travel and work on cars and could fix anything and everything except the crack of dawn and a broken heart.

Garland is survived by his daughter, Lee Ann and her husband Kevin J. Glatt; and two loved grandchildren, Dr. Jennifer (Josh Peterson) and Joshua Garland Glatt.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Tudy; his daughter, Glenna Gayle; two brothers, Allen and Earle; one half-brother, Lloyd; and one half-sister, Donna Miller. 

We will miss him greatly, but he will always live on in our hearts.

Memorials may be given to the ND Veterans Cemetery or the donor’s choice.