Bismarck Funeral Home & Crematory

06/22/2026

James Martin

James Patrick Martin, age 86, passed away on June 10, 2026, surrounded by family in Mandan, North Dakota. Cremation has taken place; there will be no memorial service per his wishes.

James was born on December 24, 1939, in Jersey City, New Jersey to Robert and Mary (Seery) Martin. After graduating from high school, he pursued a career in the newspaper industry as a press operator. He later relocated to the Bay Area in California where he met his wife, Mary Hall. While living in the Bay Area, James and Mary were blessed with two children, Patrick and Susan. Eventually, the family moved to Northern California where he started his own weekly advertiser, known as the Supersaver. Starting with one location, the company would eventually service the entire Siskiyou County population in Northern California. James had the vision of the modern-day “eBay,” where buyers and sellers had a platform to connect with each other.

James was a passionate fan of the San Fancisco Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. His family and neighbors can still remember when he witnessed the 49ers playoff win against the Dallas Cowboys known as “the catch” because of his elated response.

Mt. Shasta, California would remain their home until retirement led them to Central Florida. James had 47 years of sobriety, and perhaps his greatest passion was serving others and spreading his experience, strength, and hope to those struggling with alcoholism. During his time in Florida, James and others brought the message of Alcoholics’ Anonymous into many of Florida’s correctional facilities throughout Central Florida.

James will be deeply missed by his son, Patrick (Trisha) Martin, and grandsons, Oakley, Maguire, and Rivers Martin; daughter, Susan Martin; sister-in-law, Rose Martin, and several nieces and nephews.

James is preceded in death by his wife, Mary (Hall) Martin; his father, Robert Martin; his mother, Mary (Seery) Martin; his brother, Robert, Jr., and his nephew, Christopher Martin.

The family would like to thank the Miller Pointe staff and Sanford Hospice for the compassion and care James received.

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06/22/2026

🌿 Remembering and Honoring All Fathers Today 🌿

“The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.”

Father’s Day is a beautiful time of celebration, but at Bismarck Funeral Home, we also recognize that it can be a deeply difficult day for those who are missing their dad.

A father’s impact doesn't end when he passes. His quiet wisdom, steady strength, and unconditional love leave a lasting footprint on our ❤️, shaping who we are.

To everyone in our community who is holding tight to memories of a dad in Heaven today: we see you, we honor your grief, and we celebrate the incredible legacy your father left behind.

06/19/2026

Teri Peterson

Teri passed away on June 16, 2026, at the age of 45.

Born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota, Teri was known for her outgoing personality and her love of conversation. She never met a stranger, and it seemed that no matter where she went, she always knew someone—or left knowing someone new.

Having experienced many hardships in her own life, she had a deep compassion for others who were struggling and often formed meaningful connections with them. Life was rarely gentle with Teri, but those who knew and loved her never lost sight of who she was. She will be remembered for her kindness, her sense of humor, and her caring spirit.

Teri was preceded in death by her mother, father, grandparents, and many special friends.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren; her sister, Lora; her brothers, John, Loren, Russell, and Richard; and her nieces and nephews.

Teri's family would like to extend a special thank you to Johnny, Eugene, Melinda, Cordell, and the many others who offered friendship, kindness, and support throughout her life. Your compassion meant more than you may ever know, and we are deeply grateful for the care you showed her along the way.

Teri was loved and will be deeply missed by those who knew her.

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06/17/2026

Gary McDaniel

Gary McDaniel, 88, of Bismarck, ND, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on June 16, 2026.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, Bismarck. Family will be receiving guests one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at Highland Home Cemetery in Jamestown, ND.

Gary was born on January 5, 1938, to Mary Willyard McDaniel and Verle McDaniel Sr. He attended Jamestown High School, Jamestown College, and Worsham College of Mortuary Science, after which he began his career at the Daly-Peterson Funeral Home.

Gary and his wife, Delores “Pat” McDaniel, were married in 1962 and made their home in Jamestown. In 1965, they moved to Colorado, where Gary began a successful career in medical sales and management. His career later took the family to California, where he and Pat raised their two children, Cory and Cindy, made lifelong friends, and enjoyed outdoor adventures with warmer weather! After leaving California, Gary and Pat made a stop in Reno where they ran a successful business.

Gary cherished time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, rarely missing an opportunity to attend their sporting events or other activities. He loved the outdoors and especially enjoyed spending time in the mountains, fishing, hunting, water skiing, and woodworking. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout at 14. He continued to serve as a Boy Scout leader for many years.

After retiring Gary and Pat moved to North Dakota, making their home in Bismarck. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and he enjoyed spending more time with Pat. He and Pat shared a love of camping and made many camping trips with family and friends over the years. In their later years, they enjoyed extended winter camping trips throughout the southern United States.

After a time, Gary wanted to be busy again and he joined the Bismarck Funeral Home for 20 plus years as the pre-need coordinator. He held a funeral directors license for more than 50 years. He was honored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association for his service to the profession.

Gary is survived by his wife of 63 years, Pat McDaniel; his children, Cory (Deb) McDaniel and Cindy (Richard) McDaniel-Lureen; his grandchildren, Emily (Matthew) Steffes, Eric (Waverly) McDaniel, Craig McDaniel, Daniel Lureen and Evan Lureen; and his great-grandchildren, Weeks, Woods and Atlas. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Ginger McDaniel, Kathie Arneson, Cheryl Lien; his brothers-in-law, Kenneth Baeth, Norman Lien and Russ Senne; his cousins, Jan and Ellis Blinsky, and many other special cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two infant brothers; and brother Verle McDaniel Jr; his in-laws, Earl and Agnes Berge of Ypsilanti; his sisters-in-law, Karen Baeth, Linda Senne, and Linda “Toopie” Berge; and his brothers-in-law, Bryce Arneson and Lenus Berge.

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06/17/2026

LeNora Folmer

LeNora K. Folmer, 84, of Bismarck ND, passed away on June 15, 2026, after six weeks of Hospice Care at St. Vincent's Nursing Home, due to heart issues.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Bismarck Funeral Home, with Pastor Marvin Winstryg officiating. Visitation will start at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at both Sunne Lutheran Church, Wilton, and also at McClusky City Cemetery, McClusky.

LeNora was born prematurely early on August 17, 1941, in the St. Alexius Hospital, Bismarck, to Reinhold S. Berg and Katherine (Schwindt) Berg of Wing, ND. She weighed a little over 3 pounds at birth. The Nuns in the hospital sat praying by her bedside around the clock for about seven weeks. When the family took her home, she slept in a shoe box on the open oven door to keep her warm. We are all pretty sure that all those prayers, and her own personal will to fight to survive, is what got her through all the hardships in her life until now, when she decided to relax and allow herself to go home to the Lord.

LeNora grew up in Wing with four older siblings, surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins from both sides of the family. She started mothering at the age of 14, when her youngest sister Susan was born. She graduated from Wing High School in May 1960.

LeNora married Delmore Wanner of McClusky on September 10,1960. Together they lived on the Wanner Hereford Ranch, along with his parents, southwest of McClusky. Together they had three children, Maureen, Marian, and John. They worked very hard at both ranching and farming for 17 years. Delmore died in a car accident on November 2, 1977, and she stayed on the ranch until Maureen graduated high school in 1979.

LeNora married widower Paul Folmer Sr of Regan on August 19,1979, then became a second mother to Paul Jr and Tony. Paul Sr would not allow her to work in the fields anymore, but she continued to work with the cattle, grow a garden, cook, bake, can, make jam, and run the household of teenagers. They had just a couple years with an empty nest before taking on the raising of grandkids Anthony and Ashley, barely 3 yrs and 18 mos old. When the family lost 28 yr old Ashley to a brain aneurysm, LeNora and Paul Sr. took on the raising of great-granddaughter Aries. LeNora kept Aries after Paul Sr passed away in 2018, and moved into Wilton for three years. In January 2021 she moved to Hazen to live with daughter Maureen and son-in-law Kevin. She lived in Hazen for 2 1/2 years, traveling to Texas with them for the winters. She absolutely loved those winters on the warm sunny Gulf beach, spending many hours just sitting and watching the ocean waves rolling in while working on her Word Find books. From Hazen she moved into Edgewood Memory Care in Mandan for about 2 1/2 yrs, and then into St. Vincent's Nursing Home this February after suffering a seizure.

Baking was probably her favorite hobby. Anyone who entered her home was always treated to some homemade sweet treat and invited to stay for a meal. If you left her house hungry, it was your own fault. She loved sitting down with a hot cup of coffee and visiting with family and friends, either in person or on the phone. She also enjoyed reading and collecting cookbooks and novels. She loved playing cards and dice games, pinochle and yahtzee being two of her favorites, and she loved fishing and camping too. She and Paul went on fishing trips far north up into Canada where the roads end, boat fished on all the small local lakes in the area and spent lots of winter days living in their fish house on the ice out on Lake Audubon. Other relaxing hours were filled with watching TV, game shows, Hallmark & western movies, and 18 seasons of Heartland.

One of the biggest highlights in her life was delivering her first grandson Anthony, due to the fact that the doctor was late. When he walked in and saw her holding the baby, he asked her if she needed any help. Her reply was simply, "No, I got him." Later on she told us it was a lot easier than pulling calves in blizzards.

LeNora will be deeply missed by family, friends, and caregivers. She is survived by her brother, Burnell Berg; sister, Susan Stockert; daughter, Maureen (Kevin) Mohl; son, Tony (Eileen) Folmer; grandchildren, Anthony (Erika) Folmer, ClairAnn (Gage) Marler, Jessie Wanner (Austin Chmielewski), Brandon Flosstrand, Austin Flosstrand, Taylor (Tyler) Zeller, Cooper Folmer, Sarah (Geoff) Osland, Mandi (Stacy) Kadrmas; daughter-in-law, Ronna (Brad) Johnson; great-grandchildren, Aries, Skyler, Gabby, Jakoby, Rylee, Oliver, Abbott, Ashlynn, Ella, Maverick, and Hudson; sister-in-law, Ethel Samuelson; brother-in-law, Percy (Linda) Wanner and numerous cherished nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by husbands, Delmore Wanner and Paul Folmer Sr; children, Marian Wanner, John Wanner, Paul Folmer Jr; granddaughter, Ashley Folmer; great-grandson, Elijah; sister, Mary & husband Rudy Unruh and brother, Reuben & wife Carol Berg.

We want to express our deep gratitude for all the wonderful caregivers at Edgewood Mandan Memory Care, St. Vincent's Emmanuel Place, and Sanford Hospice.

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06/16/2026

Ernest Welk

Ernest Leo Welk passed away unexpectedly in the early morning hours of January 17, 2026, at his home in Mechanicsville, Virginia. While his passing leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of those who loved him, his legacy of service, kindness, humor, and devotion to family will continue to live on through the many lives he touched.

Ernie was born on August 24, 1950, to Gabriel and Alice (Vetter) Welk. He grew up with a strong sense of family, hard work, and dedication—values that would guide him throughout his life.

After graduating from high school, Ernie proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps from 1970 to 1972, attaining the rank of Corporal. His military service was a source of great pride throughout his life, and he carried the values of honor, commitment, and service with him long after his time in uniform.

Following his military service, Ernie began a distinguished 40-year career with the United States Postal Service. Through years of dedication to his community, he ultimately retired as the Postmaster of Washburn in 2012. Retirement, however, did not slow him down. After earning his CDL, Ernie found joy in a second career driving school bus for Harlow’s. He treasured the friendships he made with fellow drivers and school staff, but it was the children who brought him the greatest happiness. Their smiles, stories, and daily greetings gave him a special sense of purpose.

Above all else, Ernie loved his family. He was a devoted husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, brother, and friend. He was happiest when surrounded by those he loved, sharing stories, laughter, and creating memories that will be cherished forever. His steady presence, generous heart, and unwavering support were gifts to all who knew him.

Ernie is lovingly remembered by his wife, Janet; his sons, Eric and Kent; his stepchildren, Dominik (Dara) Placek, Derrick (Elisha) Placek, and Tonya (Jon) Sigl; and his cherished grandchildren, Jaden and Macie Welk, Tareyn Messmer, Nora and Beckham Welk, Jaxon and Cooper Sigl, Cassius, Risan, and Halvor Placek, Kehdon and Kiele Fletcher, Luke and Sophie Portra, and Madison Volk.

He is also survived by his siblings, Daniel (Char) Welk, Sandy Ryan, Nita (Carey) Specht, Harvey Welk, and Rod (Maggie) Welk, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gabriel and Alice Welk; his brothers, Larry and Myron Welk; and his in-laws.

Though Ernie’s life ended far too soon, the love he gave, the lessons he taught, and the memories he created will remain in the hearts of his family forever. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered every day.

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06/16/2026

Honoring and Remembering the Life of Gloria Gunderson.

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06/15/2026

Tiffany Marie Jones

Tiffany Marie Jones, 34, passed away on May 21, 2026. She was born on August 30, 1991, in Bismarck, North Dakota, to Shelly Werre (Steinwand) and Brian Jones.

Tiffany was known for her sharp sense of humor, sarcastic wit, and the honesty she carried into every conversation. She was never afraid to say what was on her mind, but beneath that strong personality was someone deeply caring, intelligent, and kindhearted. She loved fiercely and valued the people closest to her more than anything.

She especially treasured time spent with her family, including cousins, aunts, uncles, her grandmother, and many extended loved ones who meant the world to her. Tiffany loved sharing stories from the trips she took as a child with her grandparents and cousins, often laughing while retelling memories during family gatherings. Recently, she enjoyed going on a cruise with her cousin, Jessica Jones, a trip she truly loved and one that gave her many happy experiences and memories.

Tiffany also adored her cat, Opie, who was truly her constant companion and brought her endless comfort and joy.

Tiffany found peace and happiness outdoors, especially anywhere near the water. She loved flying kites, swimming, boating, fishing, and camping. Some of her happiest moments were spent simply enjoying nature and being surrounded by the people she loved.

She worked in administrative roles throughout her career, including at Fireside and Essentia Health, where she built lasting relationships with coworkers and friends.

Tiffany is survived by her mother and stepfather, Shelly and Todd Werre; her brother, Josh Jones and his wife, Kayla Jones, and their children, Hailey, Ashlynn, and Quinn Jones; her stepsister, Tiffany Werre and her longtime partner, Joe Wilke, and their children, Kayden and Hannah Wilke; her stepbrothers, Nathan Werre and Brandon Werre; along with many extended family members and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Brian Jones; the love of her life, Dan Thomas; grandparents; and other beloved family members and loved ones.

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06/12/2026

Michael Iverson

Michael Dean Iverson, age 39, passed away on June 3, 2026. He was born on June 20, 1986, to Bonita Robinson and Randall Iverson.

Michael had a heart that people felt immediately. He was generous without making a show of it, and he gave to others simply because that was who he was. If someone needed help, Michael showed up. If someone needed to talk, he listened. He had a way of making people feel cared for, even in the smallest moments.

To know Michael was to know what true friendship felt like. He was loyal, dependable, and deeply loved by the people around him. Many who met him as a friend came to think of him as family. His smile could change the mood of a room, and even on hard days, he still found ways to be there for others.

Michael loved life and rarely stayed still for long. He enjoyed cooking and baking, traveling, and spending time with the people he loved most. He was happiest when he was surrounded by friends and family, sharing food, stories, laughter, or whatever adventure came next.

He also had a way of encouraging people. Michael wanted the people he loved to believe in themselves and become the best version of who they were. He did not need to say much to make someone feel supported. His presence alone often did that.

Michael worked as a Supervisor with the United States Postal Service, where he was known for his dedication and strong work ethic. He carried the same dependability into his work that he gave so freely to his family and friends.

Michael leaves behind his father, Randall Iverson; his siblings, Jennifer (Dan) Link, Jordan (Samantha) Pellett, Shelby (Scott) White, and Shane Pellett; along with many family members, friends, coworkers, and loved ones who will miss him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Bonita Robinson; his grandparents, Gerald and Barbra Robinson and Earl and Irma Iverson; his grandfather, David Hanson; his uncles, Doug Robinson and John (Sue) Iverson; and his great-aunt, Joan Scharlau.

Michael’s life was far too short, but the love he gave will stay with everyone who knew him. He made people feel seen. He made them feel important. He made the world better just by being in it.

A Celebration of Life Get Together will be held in Boyceville, WI on June 28, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. to honor Michael’s life and the memories shared with him.

In remembrance of Michael’s generous spirit, the family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to City of Hope (https://ourhope.cityofhope.org/campaign/689967/donate).

As family and friends gather to remember Michael, may they find comfort in the laughter, kindness, and love he leaves behind. His memory will continue through the stories people tell, the meals shared in his honor, the trips remembered, and the many lives made better because he was part of them.

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06/12/2026

A Memorial Service will be held on at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026, at Bismarck Funeral Home. The burial will follow at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Family will be receiving guests one hour prior to the service.

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