Gary L. Remmen

Gary Remmen, 74 of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.

Funeral Services for Gary will be held on Monday, March 9, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Reverend Tom Westcott officiating. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a time of prayer and sharing at 5:00 p.m.  Visitation on Monday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.   Burial will be in the Brinsmade Cemetery, rural Brinsmade at a later date.

Gary Lee Remmen was born April 16, 1945 in Devils Lake, ND to Norman and Clarine (Stensby) Remmen. He was reared in McClellan Township, near Brinsmade and attended grade school in Brinsmade. He graduated from Leeds High School in 1963. He played basketball, was class president, and president of the FFA. During the summers of his high school years, Gary worked for a custom combining crew that traveled south through the states.

He attended Lake Region College while working as an orderly at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake. Gary married and later divorced Connie Follman of Leeds. He had two children, Kenny and Wendy, with Connie. Gary worked at Great Plains Supply while working his way up to management. He stepped away from that and pursued what he loved and became an independent contractor.

Gary was a leader in the 4H community with the Ramsey Riders for 10 years. During his journey, he was also President of the North Dakota State Horse Show Association for 2 terms. He spent many hours and miles taking his son, Kenny and daughter, Wendy to horse shows, 4H competitions, and horse camp as well as many of the rest of the Ramsey Rider kids.

Gary married and recently divorced Tammy Crouch of Mitchell, SD. They had one son together David. Gary also enjoyed many camping trips, watching sporting events, and traveling with his son David to each of these things. Gary also spent many days with both his sons hunting and fishing. Gardening was a special hobby that was near to his heart and one of his most beloved things to do was to create, can, mix, and produce special foods and sauces that he loved to give away for others to enjoy. Following hunting season, Gary would put in countless hours to perfect smoking meats which he would never keep to himself. He was always showing up to places just to give everyone a taste. In his later years, Gary’s main hobby was to restore and recreate old furniture for others to enjoy. He was often making these things behind closed doors just to surprise someone he loved with something he made with his hands.

Gary was survived by his sister Jan Wagner (Randal) of Denver; Kenny Remmen and friend Bonnie Halvorson of Devils Lake, Wendy (Mike) Kraft of Munich ND, David (Melissa) Remmen of Devils Lake; many grandchildren, Carly Jetty, Lexy (Ross) Hammer, Juana (Beau) Locken, Michael Kraft and Finnley Remmen. Gary also embraced Bonnie’s children as his own grandchildren Megan and Jesse Halvorson; great grandchildren, Mikkela and Jonathon Jetty, Cora and Henry Hammer, Emmett Locken, Addy Johnson, Wren and Emmerly Halvorson; nieces and nephews, Doug (Teresa) Darling, Denise Fisk, Angie Domine, Brad (Shannon) Remmen, DJ Darling, Jessica (Robert) Diaz, Kyle Fisk, Robert (Lindsey) Wagner, Thomas (Brooke) Wagner, Andrew (Esther) Wagner, Carrie (Austin) Elliott and many great nieces and great nephews.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents Norman and Clarine Remmen, brothers Ron and Dean Remmen, sister Shirley Darling, brother-in-law Duane Darling, daughter-in-law Roberta Remmen and nephew Daniel Darling.

Pallbearers: Mike Sylling, Mitch Sylling, DJ Darling, Brandon Schwab, Ross Hammer, Beau Locken, Michael Kraft and Mark Peterson.

Honorary: Gary Geske, Clayton McCloud, Doug Darling, Brad Remmen and Ben Spah