Marthyn Argent

Buzz Argent went to his heavenly home on December 11, 2023. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 17, at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Steele, ND. The service will also be streamed from the ‘Trinity Dawson Parish’ Facebook page.

He was born to Reed and Martha Argent November 4, 1943. Buzz, along with his older sister, ReMar, and younger brother, John, was raised on the family farm north of Steele and attended country school which was about three miles from the farm. For 6 of the 8 years Buzz’s mom was his teacher. Going home and complaining about the teacher was never an option.
 
Buzz attended Steele High School where he lettered in all sports—football, basketball, track, and baseball. He followed his high school sweetheart to Concordia College, or maybe she followed him, where he prepared himself to become a math teacher. In 1965, he married Sandy Wentz, and began teaching at Moorhead Junior High.  He taught at the junior high for 16 years and then at the senior high for 19 years. During this time he coached a variety of sports; basketball, football & wrestling.
 
At the senior high Buzz taught Algebra I and II.  Geometry teacher Jace Lahlum and Buzz had a pseudo rivalry going in which they would banter back and forth about which subject was more important. This went on for years much to the delight of their students who were not only entertained but also highly motivated.  In 1986 and again in 1999, Buzz was voted by his fellow teachers to be Moorhead High’s teacher of the year. He was on the founding board of Moorhead Dollars for Scholars. He loved his students, his fellow teachers, and the Moorhead School System. He always said he had the best job in the state of Minnesota.
 
Besides teaching, Buzz loved farming and he was able to do both. When school was out, the family packed up and moved to the farm at Steele. There Buzz farmed with his dad and John.  After Buzz retired from teaching, he and Sandy moved permanently to Steele to the original Argent farmstead which his grandparents had purchased in 1905.  Winter months were spent in sunny Arizona with many close friends and former colleagues.

Buzz and Sandy were blessed with 58 years of marriage.  They raised two children, Stacey and Jim. Buzz enjoyed sports of all kinds. He loved hunting, fishing, golfing, bowling, dancing. He would try anything.  He had a booming voice, a hearty laugh, a quick wit, a positive attitude, and a ready compliment. He loved his students, the guys he coached, his family, his extended family, and many dear friends. Among his favorite things were little kids, country music, Christmas, hunting season, chocolate milk shakes, Argent salad, raisin pie, and playing bridge with Stacey and Jim.
 
Buzz was the consummate do-it-yourselfer.  He could fix just about anything. He was an excellent carpenter, electrician, plumber, and mechanic. Wherever he lived, he would upgrade. He took great pride in the finished product.
 
Buzz is survived by his wife and best friend, Sandy, daughter Stacey (friend Casey Buchmann), son Jim, sister ReMar Voxland, brother John Argent (Ardyce), mother-in-law Bev Wentz, sisters-in-law Belinda Anderson (Grady), Jodi Dehn (Jeff), & Beth Keller, brother-in-law Wallace Keller, many nieces, nephews, cousins, & dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Reed & Martha Argent, infant son David, and brother-in-law Herman Voxland.
 
Some of Buzz’s favorite phrases:
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
To catch walleyes - use a number 2 minnow and cast into the sun.
To ease pain or a hurt - Don’t worry, it’s a long way from your heart.
On making a good golf shot - Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.