Walter V. Evoniuk, 95, longtime resident of Dickinson, died Thursday, October 31, 2013 at the White Pine Assisted Living Center, Fridley, Minn. Walter’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Todd Kreitinger as the celebrant. Interment will take place at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Military honors will follow the Mass and be provided by the Dickinson Honors Team. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service and will continue on Wednesday one hour prior to services at the church. There will be a rosary & Vigil at 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Ladbury Funeral Service, with Deacon Ron Keller presiding.
Walter Evoniuk was born May 23, 1918 in Gorham, to Steven and Mary Evoniuk. He was born and raised on the farm north of Belfield. As a young man, Walter worked on the family farm.
In 1942 he joined the US Navy, just before the United States involvement in WWII, and served honorably until 1945. He served on the USS Augusta, one of the Flag Ships on the Atlantic Ocean. After the war he worked for his father-in-law building homes. He found he missed farming and moved his family to North Dakota to work his farm. During the winters he worked laying carpets for Sears and then later worked for Dickinson Plumbing and Heating until he retired in 1980. He continued to farm until he sold his land in 1982. Walt loved music and was involved with Dickinson Barbershop Choir and also St. Patrick’s Church Choir.
Walter met his wife Jeannette Goguen at a USO dance in Boston, Mass. in 1943 while on leave from the Navy. They were married June 19, 1945 in Waltham, Mass. and together moved to New York City. After “D Day” they lived in Waltham before settling in North Dakota in 1948. The Evoniuk’s made their permanent home in Dickinson in 1953.
Walter is survived by his children; Richard Evoniuk, St Peter, Minn., Roger (Peggy) Evoniuk, Broken Arrow, Okla., Rodney Evoniuk, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Veronica (David) Zink, Mounds View, Minn.; eight grandchildren, Cheryl Evoniuk, Heather (Paul) Nelson, Jamie Evoniuk, Chad (Janet) Evoniuk, Reva (Sean) McCauley, Brandon Evoniuk, Evan Zink, Kristin Zink; and 10 great-grandchildren; and sister Cecilia from Farmington, N.M.; many nieces and nephews.
Walter was preceded in death by wife Jeannette on October 14, 2005; his parents; infant son Rene’, five brothers; six sisters. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.
