Leland N. Windjue

Leland N. Windjue, 90, a long-time farmer of rural Devils Lake, ND passed away on Monday, April 16, 2012 at the Heartland Care Center in the loving care of his family and Mercy Hospice. Mass of Christian Burial for Leland will be held on Friday, April 20, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with Fr. Dale Kinzler celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. and at the church beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Knights of Columbus will lead the Rosary. Serving as Casket Bearers for Leland will be his grandsons; Rodney Windjue, Dean Windjue, Kevin Windjue, Alex Windjue, Adam Windjue and Clay Haugen. Reading the Scriptures will be Alyssa Daniels and Alex Windjue and Gift Bearers will be his granddaughters; Janelle Kisow, Bethany Dumont, Sheila LaMotte, Krista Windjue, Andrea Andvik, Sharlene Olson, Lisa Dewey, Vickie Cofer, and Carly Haugen. Our Eucharist Minister will be Rose Windjue. Music will be provided by Lynne Webster and Audrey Myklebust. Leland Nels was born on December 21, 1921 in Michigan, North Dakota the son of George and Ethel (Buskirk) Windjue. He attended a country school near Forest River. In 1935 the family moved to a farm one mile north of Cando. Leland worked for several area farmers and in the potato warehouse. Leland went to the Lauinger farm to play softball where he met Cecilia and fell in love. In November of 1942, Leland entered the United States Army and before his departure proposed to Cecilia. Leland and Cecilia were united in marriage on October 20, 1943 in Yuma, Arizona. Leland was stationed in; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Augusta, Georgia; before serving a tour in Europe as a Corporal with the 44th Calvary. In November of 1945 Leland was honorably discharged and returned to Devils Lake. They lived for a winter with Cecilia’s parents and in the spring moved to the farm where they lived, farmed, and raised their family through the years. Leland always looked forward to the reunions of his Army Unit, which occurred throughout the United States, 2 of which were hosted in Devils Lake. Leland was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, rural Crary, until moving to Devils Lake, where the family joined St. Joseph Catholic Church. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus and VFW. Leland also served on the Morris Township School Board for several years. In 1979, they moved to Devils Lake, where Cecilia passed away on January 8, 2009. Leland remained active in the family farm, keeping up to date on the farming activities. He also enjoyed spending time with his many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He could often be found at the White House Café sharing coffee in good company and discussing local affairs and solving World problems. Leland is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Dennis and Rose Windjue, Richard and Sheila Windjue, Roger and Paula Windjue, Leslie and Karn Windjue all of Devils Lake and Philip and Lisa Windjue of West Fargo, ND; daughters and sons-in-law, Suzanne and Tom Walter of Savanna, Georgia and Laurie and Loren Haugen of Red Lodge, Montana; daughter-in-law Carol and Doug Nerby of Manvel, ND; grandchildren, Sheila (Todd) LaMotte, Dean (Christi) Windjue, Kevin (Nicole) Windjue, Rod (Heather) Windjue, Lisa (Adam) Dewey, Janelle (Scott) Kisow, Vickie (Josh) Cofer, Kristine (Rick) Tindol, Kellie (David) Furin, Alyssa Daniels, Andrea (Brad) Andvik, Bethany (Chris) Dumont, Sharlene (Matt) Olson, Adam Windjue, Alex Windjue, Krista Windjue, Carly Haugen and Clay Haugen; great grandchildren, Mara LaMotte, Joey Rodin, Jenna, Emily, Taylor and Brandon Windjue, Hannah and Daniel Windjue, Ashlynn, Jaden and Gage Windjue, Isaac, Hannah and Halle Hess, Sophia and Emma Dewey, Jake, Cole and Alexandra Kisow, Alexa and Jace Cofer, Dean and Walt Tindol, Leland Furin, Caleb, Thomas and Jocelyn Daniels, Averie and Brady Andvik, Katelyn and Connor Dumont and Adley Olson; brother, Lloyd (Carol) Windjue of Jamestown, ND; sisters, Catherine Simonson and Betty Simonson of Mentor, Minnesota; brother-in-law Gilbert Nerby of Grand Forks and sister-in-law Elouise Lauinger of Devils Lake; many nieces, nephews and their families. Leland was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Cecilia 2009; son Kenneth 1979; great-granddaughter Megan LaMotte 2010; granddaughter Rhonda Windjue, great-grandson Michael Windjue, sisters; Irene Matz and Doris Nerby.