Peter Decker, 94, Dickinson, died Saturday, February 8, 2014 at his home.
Peter Decker was born September 29, 1919 at Dickinson to Christian and Anna Mary (Hecker) Decker. Peter grew up in Dickinson, Schefield, near Medora and Belfield. He attended school at St. Pius, Medora and Belfield, graduating from Belfield High School. After graduation, Peter worked at the Belfield Bakery and Anderson’s Meat Market. He was drafted into the Army right after Pearl Harbor and served as a cook in the Medical Center at the Army Air Force Base, Augusta, Ga. He married Famie Kokkeler in 1943. Peter was sent to Germany on the Queen Elizabeth to the Battle of the Bulge. Upon discharge he returned to Belfield and worked for Franklin’s Food Store. Peter and his wife, Famie, built Pete’s Café on Main Street, Belfield in 1947 which he operated for 30 years. When he sold the café, he constructed two mobile home courts with a son-in-law which he operated for 10 years. Peter served on the Belfield School board as a member and President for 20 years, was a Life Member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Belfield American Legion, a director of the ND Restaurant Assoc. for 16 years and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Peter was also a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Belfield. Peter moved to Dickinson in 1990 and was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
Time spent with family and friends was always the BEST! Peter’s greatest hobby and the one which gave him the most thrill was fishing. He loved catching salmon in Wash., pike in Canada, trout in Mont., and walleye, crappie and northern pike in N.D. He enjoyed gardening each year, coffee with friends, Saturday night at Pizza Ranch and playing pinochle and other card games. Peter continued to enjoy cooking and baking for himself and others all his life. The grandchildren especially looked forward to his fresh caramel rolls each time they visited him.
Peter is survived by six of his eight children, Judith Loveland, Aurora, Colo., Douglas (Roxann), Hadlock, Wash., Linda Decker, Dickinson, Ginger (John) Swinney, Chautauqua, Kan., Kurt, Mandan, and Sheree (Lawrence) Manolovitz, Buckeye, Ariz.; 24 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; very special friend, Polly Dorval; two brothers, Floyd, Spokane, Wash. and Benjamin (Ruth), Yuma, Ariz. He was preceded in death by his wife Euphemia (Famie), one daughter Collette, one son, Bruce, one granddaughter, Erin, one son-in-law Ken Loveland, one daughter-in-law Bernadette, four sisters, two brothers, four brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law.
