Anton Buchmeier

Anton “Tony” E. Buchmeier, 85 of Devils Lake, ND died on Friday, August 14, 2009 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Mass of Christian Burial for Tony will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake. Fr. Peter Sharpe will celebrate the Mass and burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and Military Funeral Honors Guard. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Monday from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and at St. Joseph Catholic Church from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Knights of Columbus. Visitation on Tuesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Tony will be his grandsons, Chad Hoffart, Shawn Buchmeier, Blake Buchmeier, Brett Buchmeier, Christopher Thomas, Josh Anderson and his nephew, Dennis Schiele. Reading the Scriptures will be Dennis Thomas and David VanBockel. Gift Bearers will be Kristin Homan, Kara Wolf, Shannon Fitzpatrick, Nicole Speed and Erica Anderson-Parra. Eucharistic Minister will be Jane VanBockel; Memorial Folders will be distributed by Tanya Strand, Dana Burke, Ashley Franzen and Sara Engen Music will be provided by Patty Cote. Tony, the son of Jack and Catherine (Schell) Bachmeier was born on August 30, 1923 at Orrin, ND. He moved with his parents to Noonan Township, Ramsey County where he was raised and educated at Noonan Township School. He worked on the family farm with his father until he entered the United States Army on February 26, 1946 serving his country during World War II. He served as an MP (Military Police) in Japan and also stateside. After his honorable discharge on August 14, 1947 he returned to North Dakota to the family farm. Tony was united in marriage to Loretta Keller on October 11, 1948 at Crary, ND. They established their home on the family farm where they raised their family, farmed and ranched and worked together as a family; each member helping out in the fields or in the kitchen and neighbor helping neighbor. Tony and Loretta retired and moved to Devils Lake in 1993 where they have since made their home. Tony was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church, rural Crary and after moving to Devils Lake was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, VFW Post #756, American Legion, served on the Noonan Township Board and Noonan School Board. Tony’s love was always the country life and he enjoyed reading Western Books, especially those authored by Louis L'Amour, watching western movies, John Wayne being his favorite. Tony also enjoyed playing cards with family and friends. Tony is survived by his wife of 60 years, Loretta Children: Becky and her husband David VanBockel of Louisville, Kentucky~Karen and her husband Gene Hoffart of Devils Lake~LouAnn and her husband J.Bruce Burke of Grand Forks~Vicki and her husband Dennis Thomas of Mandan, ND~David Buchmeier and his wife Annette of Devils Lake~Steven Buchmeier and his wife Kristen of Crary~Patti and her husband Todd Anderson of Monroe, Oregon; Sixteen Grandchildren: Jane VanBockel, Kristin (Geoff) Homan; Shannon (Dave) Fitzpatrick, Chad Hoffart, Ashley (Matt) Franzen; Kara (Brent) Wolf, Tanya (Matt) Strand, Dana Burke, Sara (Mike) Engen; Christopher Thomas, Nicole (Ervin) Speed; Shawn Buchmeier; Brett Buchmeier, Blake Buchmeier; Erica (Jaime) Anderson-Parra, Joshua Anderson; Twelve Great Grandchildren: Destiny, Hailey and Trevor Fitzpatrick, Cameron Wolf, Jacob, Anna and Madelyn Strand, Harrison and John Phillips, Anna Thomas, Juwaun Speed and Christian Parra. Sisters: Katherine Schiele and Mary (Ed) Volk of Devils Lake and Evelyn Hager of Oakdale, Minnesota; Brothers: Wendelin Bachmeier, Devils Lake; Ralph (Alexis) Bachmeier of St. Paul, MN; Leonard (Marilyn) Bachmeier, Forest Lake, MN Tony was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Raymond Bachmeier and Bernard Bachmeier.