On a beautiful Thanksgiving afternoon, Walter Hlebechuk, 84, passed away Thursday, November 27, 2008 at his home in Billings County. Walter’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson with Fr. James Shea as the celebrant. Interment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan with military honors provided by the Belfield American Legion William C. Blair Post #144 following the mass. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. There will be a rosary and time of sharing at 7 p.m., Monday at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Walter was born on March 5, 1924 the son of Mike and Rose (Zelinski) Hlebechuk. He was the oldest of four children. Raised and educated in Billings County, he would live there his entire life.
Walter served in the Navy during WWII in the Pacific Theater from 1944 to 1946. He was stationed on a landing craft infantry where he was a machinist mate second class. Years later, a Navy shipmate that had served with Walter in the pacific contacted him and traveled to North Dakota to visit. He wanted to repay Walter the five dollars that he had borrowed 60 years earlier during their time in the service.
Walter met his wife, Martha Enzi, at the Highway Inn in Dickinson. They were married on November 11, 1947 at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church. They lived for the entirety of their 61 year marriage on their farm in Billings County where they raised six children.
Walter will always be remembered by his family as a good steward of the land. Concerned about soil erosion, he was one of the first in the area to implement soil conservation measures. He loved to watch wildlife and was known to bring sick animals into the house. When local pheasant populations were low, he raised pheasants in order to repopulate area stocks. Walter served as a 4-H leader for 25 years. He was also a member of Catholic War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and the LCI National Association. Children and grandchildren will always remember his famous pick-up rides to check the cows. The cows would come running when called. Family members also enjoyed riding in the tractor cab with him as he did chores.
Restoring tractors, old equipment and vintage cars were one of the activities that kept him busy during the long North Dakota winters. During the summer months he frequented antique car shows where he won many awards with his restored 1938 Oldsmobile. A Ford tractor enthusiast, he restored two Ford tractors and displayed them along with other restored farm equipment at the threshing show in Makoti. He also participated in parades and tractor treks with his restored vehicles.
Walter had a sweet tooth. He often requested root beer or orange pop floats, and often asked his visiting grandkids to bake cookies.
Walter is survived by his wife, Martha; his brother, Edward (Gerry), Oklahoma City, Okla.; his sister, Dorothy Sorenson-Peters, Estherville, Iowa; their six children, Clint (Simyra), Homer, Alaska, Donna (Tom) Miller, Madison, Wis., Paula (Rod) Riehl, Boise, Idaho, John, South Heart, Rebecca (Darrell) Schwindt, Fernley, Nev., and James (Carla), Manning; he also considered Deborah (Tom) Hlebechuk and their children, Casey and Dana as part of his family; 18 grandchildren, Kimberly, Warren, Michael, Lexi, Melanie, Melissa, Katie, Emily, Elizabeth, Kris (Melanie), Jason, Heidi, Beth, JoNall, Sheena, Lacie (Ben), Brian and Chelsey; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Albert, and his parents.
