PERRY R. HORNER

Perry Robert Horner, 71, of Devils Lake, ND / Mesa, AZ, lost his battle with Leukemia on Sunday, July 24 surrounded by loved ones in his childhood home. Funeral Services for Perry will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake, ND with Reverend Paul Balaban officiating. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday, July 29th from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service and Time of Remembrance at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Saturday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Burial will be in the Devils Lake 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. Perry was born in Devils Lake to Merle and Cora Horner on March 23, 1945. He graduated from Devils Lake High School in 1964 and soon thereafter earned a Diesel Mechanic degree from Wahpeton College. He was drafted into the Army in 1966 and proudly served as a military policeman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 under the 18th MP Brigade. During his service, he earned the Air Medal (with 3 oak leaf clusters), the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Long Overseas Service Bar, and the National Defense Service Medal. After Vietnam, Perry discovered a passion for acting at Lake Region Community College. During this joyful time, he met his soon-to-be wife, Pat. In a rare act of spontaneity, Perry proposed three months after meeting the love of his life. They were married just a few months later on August 21, 1971. Their sons Chad and Travis were born in October 1974 and June 1976. Perry's career was eclectic and he put his heart into everything he did. He drove for UPS for five years, owned the Mayor Hotel/Bar/Restaurant for three years until it burned down in 1979 and spent three years on the Devils Lake police force before running for Sheriff in 1982. He proudly served as Sheriff of Ramsey County, ND for over 18 years when he and Pat decided to begin their "first retirement" in Mesa, AZ in 2001. Perry then worked as a campus security guard for Red Mountain High School in Mesa for 10 years before officially retiring in 2011. Perry deeply believed in service to his country and community. During his time in Devils Lake, he was President of the North Dakota Sheriff’s Association for 3 terms, a Search and Rescue diver and instructor, a Volunteer Fire Fighter, EMT instructor and a Boy Scout leader. He was a member of the VFW, the Lake Region Peace Officers Association, the Elks Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion. He also played a key role on the team that developed alternative parties for Devils Lake high school students in the early 90s. As much as Perry enjoyed Arizona, Devils Lake was always home. Perry returned to Devils Lake every summer to spend as much time as he could with family and friends. To know Perry was to know his kind, gentle spirit, magnetic personality and strong work ethic. No job was ever too big or too small. He embodied the Golden Rule. Family, friends and strangers alike were drawn to him. Jokes and laughter filled the space around Perry. He grinned with his eyes and laughed with his soul. Perry never met a karaoke tune, dance floor, or pinochle hand he didn't enjoy. He loved his family to the core and had a great big soft spot in his heart for his grandchildren. Ultimately, Perry died as he lived -- surrounded by family and friends, at peace with himself and his God. The void left by Perry's death will be felt by many for decades to come. Perry was preceded in death by his parents, Merle and Cora Horner, brothers Dwight and Andy, and sister Ida Mae. He is survived by his wife Patricia, sons Chad and Travis, grandchildren Ethan and Alison, brother John and sisters Carolyn, Myrna, Harriet, Vicki, and Dori. Memorials are requested to: Cancer Research Institute or Lake Region State College Peace Officer scholarship in the name of Perry Horner.