Victor “Vic” Gregory Tormaschy, 89, Richardton, passed away, Sunday, April 21, 2019 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Victor’s Mass of Christian Burial will be 9:30 a.m., Monday, April 29, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Dickinson with Fr. Keith Streifel as celebrant. Military Honors will be provided by the Dickinson American Legion Post 3 Honor Guard. Interment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service with a rosary and vigil at 7 p.m. with Deacon Al Schwindt presiding.
Victor was born August 11, 1929 on the family farm near Gladstone to Kasper and Katherine (Grossman) Tormaschy. He was the fifth of seven children. Vic attended school through the fifth grade in a schoolhouse one quarter mile from his home. His parents moved to a farm in Dunn County in 1940 and here he attended Prairie Rose School through eighth grade.
As a young man, Vic worked at the stock yards in Dickinson for Raymond Schnell. In the fall of 1950, he went to work for Joe Birdsall, a rancher. Shortly after starting work here, he got a letter drafting him into the Army to fight the Korean Conflict. Joe Birdsall got a deferral for Victor ‘til the spring of 1951, as he needed Vic’s help to winter the cattle. At that time, Uncle Sam sent a second notice and Victor was sent to service his country in Pusson. He worked his way up to Gunner Sergeant. Vic was released from the Army and on December 24, 1952, he arrived in Dickinson on a Greyhound bus, where he was meeting his sweetheart, Lucille Miller. Vic was required to be in Reserves for five years and was Honorably discharged in 1957.
Victor married Lucille Miller, April 7, 1953 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dickinson. After their marriage, Vic went back to work for Joe Birdsall. In fall of 1953, Victor worked for Kovash construction building homes in Dickinson. The family then moved to Regent where Vic was a mechanic at J.P. Jungers under his brother, George Grossman. In the fall of 1956, the Tormaschy’s moved to Lemmon, S.D. where Vic worked for Raymond Schnell for the next three years. In April of 1958, Victor moved his family to Raymond Schnell’s ranch by Marshall. In the fall of 1963, they made their final move to a farm north of Richardton.
Victor was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Richardton, but always kept St. Joseph’s as an important part of his life. He was baptized, confirmed and married in that church.
Victor’s greatest joy was breaking and riding horses. One of his favorites was a sorrel mare, Ginger, whom he raised from a colt and kept for 24 years. Victor enjoyed raising Charolais cattle, farming, John Deere tractors and tinkering on his farm equipment. Victor took great joy in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Victor loved to visit and there was never a stranger to him.
Victor was survived by three sons, Vern (Kathy), Richardton, their children; Toby (Heidi) their children, Natalie, Kate, Emma; Jason (Hannah) and son Eli; Kristy (Eric) Burwick, their children, Kynley and Tayley; Melvin, Dickinson, his children, Michael; Beth (Wade) Schmitt, their children, Adlee, Kiesyn, Daxtin; James (Julie) Bismarck, their children, Cody, Kayla, Gracie; grandson, Jamie Berger, his children, Lexie, Dusty, Owen and Courtney Berger; three brothers, Bill (Dorothy), Dickinson, Richard, Dickinson, and Ralph, Manning; and many nieces and nephews.
Victor was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille on August 13, 2009; daughter, Marlene on August 15, 1996; two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Francis (Christ) Freer and Caroline (Gene) Martin; one brother and sister-in-law, George (Lorene) Grossman, two sisters-in-law, Marie Tormaschy and Alina Tormaschy.
