Peter M. Wang Jr.

Peter M. Wang Jr., of rural Devils Lake, ND passed away on Sunday afternoon, May 14, 2017 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.  Funeral Services for Peter will be held on Friday, May 19, 2017 at 12:30 p.m. at the Tracy Chapel, Camp Grafton, ND (4417 Highway 20 South) with Chaplain Corey Bjertness, Pastor First Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND officiating. Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team, Army. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will continue at Camp Grafton on Friday from 10:30 a.m. until time of service. Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery, Glyndon, Minnesota at a later date. Peter Magnus Wang Jr., was born on December 11, 1931 at Soldier, Iowa, the sixth of nine children born to Immigrants Ragna Baker (Ragna Bakkene, Fagerness, Norway) and Peter M. Wang Sr. (Per Myrvang, Trysil, Norway). His early years were spent in Iowa and in 1946, the family moved to Glyndon, MN.  He completed his high school education at Glyndon High School, graduating with the class of “1950”. He was passionate to play sports including basketball, football and baseball.  He continued to enjoy playing baseball well into his adult years and after retirement.  On October 14, 1952, Peter entered the United States Army, proudly serving his country during the Korean War in Chateaux, France. He was assigned to the Army Corp of Engineers to assist in the rebuilding of France.  He was honorably discharged on October 15, 1954 with the rank of Sergeant and returned to Glyndon.  He was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Marlys Ann Johnson on October 12, 1957 at Lake of the Woods, Williams, MN.  He worked as a heavy equipment operator, builder, and concrete man while living in Moland Township. He joined the North Dakota National Guard in Fargo serving with a field artillery unit.  He enrolled at the Wahpeton State School of Science and received certification in automotive technology.  He started with the Guard full time in 1958 at Hector Airport as a National Guard Technician.  He transferred to Fraine Barracks in Bismarck in 1960 for a three year period and returned to Hector Airport from 1963 to 1968. Peter and Marlys and their young family lived in rural Glyndon, MN.  On the fourth of July, 1968, the family of six moved to their home in rural Devils Lake. In Devils Lake they would live, work and raise their family through the years until his death.  Peter served with the North Dakota Army National Guard at Camp Grafton for 19 years including with the 3662 Maintenance Company, as a 1st Sergeant.  From 1987 to 1989 he was the Command Sergeant Major with the 231 Engineering Battalion at Bismarck. He became the first Command Sergeant Major of the Air Defense Battalion in Grand Forks.  This was his last duty station upon his full retirement in 1989.  During his career he was honored to be deployed on Humanitarian Missions to Ecuador and Honduras.  He was a dedicated soldier, proud to serve his country but also a loving husband and proud Dad of his children and grandchildren. His passion was working with his children and grandchildren and making time for hunting, fishing, and trapping. He had a great talent to tear down, but then rebuild bigger and better, fix anything that needed fixing and being very thrifty and conservative, never throwing anything away that just might come in handy later.  Peter is survived by his loving family. His wife of over 58 years, Marlys; sons Orville (Audrey) Wang and Robert (JoEtta) Wang both of rural Devils Lake and James (Kelly) Wang of Graham’s Island; daughter Susan (Mike) Long of Berlin, ND; grandchildren Autumn and George Wang, Heather (Brian) Erickson and Ethan Wang, Marit and Peter Wang and Mikaela Long; siblings Marlene Mikkelsen, Fargo, Richard (Mavis) Wang, Glyndon, MN, Evonne Carlson, Dodge Center, MN and Ronald (Doreen) Wang, Glyndon, MN and many nieces, nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson Tristan Long, sister Ellen Rarick and brothers Robert, Melvin, Ola “Doc” Wang.