Lloyd Wonnenberg

Lloyd M. Wonnenberg, 75, Mandan, North Dakota, died August 4, 2005, at a Saint Cloud, Minnesota hospital after a lengthy illness. Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday at Bismarck Baptist Church in Bismarck with Rev. Don Burnett officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Bismarck. Visitation will be held on Monday from 12:00 - 9:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service where a prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Lloyd, the first of three children of Sam and Martha Hauser Wonnenberg, was born on December 11, 1929, in Martin, North Dakota. Lloyd graduated from Goodrich High School in 1948. He began farming in the Goodrich area and was united in marriage on July 9, 1950, to Dorothy Lutz. From this union two children, a daughter, Cathy, and a son, Steven, were born. In 1956, they moved to Bismarck where Lloyd began a service station career. He went to work for the Carter Service Station at 6th and Rosser. In August of 1957, he purchased the Carter Station and was instrumental in forming the Bismarck-Mandan Gasoline Retailers Association and the ND Gasoline Retailers Association in 1960. In June of 1962, he formed Lloyd's Oil Company having purchased the Phillips 66 gasoline dealership and jobberships from Sterling to the Montana border. During this time, he owned nine service stations and five bulk plants and operated a fertilizer business. In March of 1965, Lloyd bought a cow/calf operation in Wing, North Dakota. In 1966, his wife, Dorothy, died after a long-term battle with cancer. On December 10, 1966, Lloyd married Amy Freier. A daughter, Debbie, was born to this union. Lloyd acquired additional farmland in the Tappen and Dawson area in 1967, and in 1968, set up a total confinement dairy operation in Wing. In the fall of 1969, he moved his family to Wing. More land purchases were made in 1972. At the height of his milking and ranching operation, he milked between 90 and 130 cows and had over 1,000 head of cattle. In 1972, Lloyd sold his range cattle and most of his service stations. In the fall of 1974, Lloyd sold his dairy herd and in July of 1975, his remaining cattle and gasoline businesses. After selling his cows, Lloyd concentrated solely on grain farming. In 1977, he was the leader of the ND American Agriculture movement and made many trips to Washington, D.C. to lobby congress. Lloyd continued farming full-time until 1999 when he was forced to move to Bismarck due to health issues. Lloyd was a past director of the Norwest Petroleum Jobber's Association and the Bismarck Burleigh County Water Board, and a past member of the ND Dairy Producers Association and the ND Wheat Commission. He had been involved in state politics having run for the ND State Legislature. Lloyd was also involved in his local church having held various positions. Lloyd is survived by his wife, Amy of Mandan; his daughter and son-in-law, Cathy and Greg Mannel of Austin, Minnesota; his son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Kim Wonnenberg of Bismarck; his daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Barry Doll of Gig Harbor, Washington; his seven grandchildren, Sara Mike Moffet, Ruth Reed Reimer, Erin Jesse Krull, Jared Wonnenberg, and Elizabeth, Christian, and Joseph Doll; his step-father, Alton Vick; his brother and sister-in-law, Eugene and Lorraine Wonnenberg; and his sister and brother-in-law, Arlene and Howard Thoyre. He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Dorothy. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Bismarck Baptist Memorial Fund of donor's choice. Lloyd recently wrote:"I owe my life to God who has opened so many doors for me. He was always there to give me the encouragement that I need. Thanks to all of the relatives and friends who prayed for me. Without your prayers and encouraging words, it would have been hard to keep fighting. May God bless you all!"

Lloyd Wonnenberg

December 11, 1929 - August 4, 2005