DENNIS WAYNE TUFTE

Dennis W. Tufte a lifelong resident of the Harlow/Leeds/Devils Lake area of North Dakota passed away on Friday evening, September 19, 2014 at Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Dennis will be held on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Harlow, ND. Visitation will be held on Monday (tomorrow) at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. No visitation is planned for Tuesday. Dennis will be laid to rest in the Harlow Cemetery with military honors accorded by the Sidney Britsch American Legion Post #268 and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Dennis Wayne, was born on February 7, 1943 at Leeds, ND, son of Agnes (Gunderson) Tufte and step son of Elmer Tufte. He was reared and educated in Harlow and Leeds, graduating from Leeds High School with the class of 1961. He entered the United States Army, serving with the National Guard in Rugby and was also stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After his honorable discharge, Dennis returned to North Dakota and worked for at time at the Rolla Farmers Union. He met the love of his life and he and Colette Hager were united in marriage on March 30, 1963 at Edgemont, South Dakota. Dennis worked in the oil fields of Wyoming until 1967 when the family moved back to the Harlow area and he began working at the Harlow Elevator. In 1969, the family began farming south of Harlow, a dream come true for Dennis. He actively farmed until 1983 until health problems forced him to retire. He and Colette then began traveling the United States in their motor home, later spending winter months in Arizona and the summer months in North Dakota. In 2007 they began making Sun West their more permanent North Dakota home. He was a member of the Devils Lake Elks Lodge and the Sidney Britsch Post #268, York American Legion. They loved to travel and Dennis enjoyed visiting with anyone he met and could visit about anything. Everyone he met was a friend and was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. His family was everything to him and the sparkle in his eyes came from the love and pride in his heart for his grandchildren, and that was beyond measure. Dennis is survived by his loving family. His beloved wife of 51 ½ years, Colette; grandsons Michael Tufte, NDSU, Fargo, ND and Mitchel Tufte, Brinsmade, ND; daughter-in-law Brenda Tufte-Pfeifer, Brinsmade, ND; granddaughter Kristen (Andy) Hillier, great-grandchildren Beckett and Rory, Cando, ND; sister Linda Hellerud, Laughlin, NV; brothers Erling (Beth) Tufte, Cottage Grove, MN and Arlen Tufte Fontana, CA; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law John (Janice) Hager, Oberon, ND, Rosemary Hanson, Blaine, MN, Virginia Streifel, Devils Lake, ND, Melvin Lewis, St. Louis Park, MN, Alice Hager, Galesburg, KS, Faye Hager, Pueblo, CO and Joan Hager, MN; uncles Gilman Gunderson, York, ND, and Roy (Travis) Gunderson, Buffalo, WY; many nieces, nephews and cousins. Dennis was preceded in death by his sons Michael Elmer in 1982 and Daniel Wayne in 1994; mother, Agnes Tufte; step father Elmer Tufte; father Alfred Hove and mother-in-law Rose Hager.