Lawrence “Larry” Pelzel, 93, Dickinson, died Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Larry’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2018 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, with Fr. Keith Streifel as the celebrant. Interment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Military Honors will be provided by the Dickinson American Legion Post 3 Honor Guard. Visitation will be Friday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service with Deacon Dallas Carlson presiding. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church.
Lawrence Pelzel was born May 19, 1925 in Dickinson, son of Frank and Mary (Filipi) Pelzel. He attended school in Schefield up to the eighth grade. Larry joined the United States Navy at a very young age. In 1954, while in the Navy, he married Betty Whitman. They made their home in Silver Springs, Md. Much of the time in the service Larry was on the ship “Saratoga” as one of the cooks feeding at least 4000 sailors at each meal.
After 24 years of service, Larry retired and for the next 20 years he worked at a commissary in Maryland as a meat cutter. In 1999, a few years after the death of his wife and step-son, he moved back to Dickinson to be close to his family.
Larry is survived by his brothers, Ed (Leta) Pelzel, Brookings, Ore., Ben (Karen) Pelzel, Arcadia, Calif.; sister, Josephine McElroy, Alexander, Va.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; step-son, William Whitman; his brothers, Frank and Vincent Pelzel; sisters, Clementine Radovich and Christine Schmitt; sister-in-law, Katherine WeLand; and brother-in-law, Jack McElroy.
