BURINGRUD, Wendell E. 1922-1980

BURINGRUD, WELLS, BAKER, BLAKESTAD

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/15/2010 at 22:17:56

Wendell E. Buringrud, 1922-1980

Wendell E. Buringrud Funeral
Held At Schroeder Funeral Home

Funeral services for Wendell E. Buringrud, 57, who died at his home in St. Ansgar Feb. 22, were held February 26 at the Schroeder Funeral Home here, with the Rev. Bruce Wittern, pastor of the St. Ansgar United Methodist church, officiating.

Wendell Eugene Buringrud was born April 20, 1922 in Otranto township, the son of Galen Joseph and Elsie (Baker) Buringrud. He was a descendant of Gullick Blakestad, one of the original founders of St. Ansgar.

He was valedictorian of the Otranto high school graduating class of 1939. He attended Upper Iowa University at Fayette, and the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Mr. Buringrud enlisted in the U.S. Army in February of 1941 and served with the 34th Division. He later joined the First Ranger Battalion and trained with the English Commandos in Scotland, seeing action in World War II in Tunisia, Africa and Italy as a member of Darby's Rangers. He retired from the Army with the rank of Major after completing 20 years of active duty in the Medical Service Corp.

He married Juanita Wells in San Antonio, Tex. in 1945. Four children were born to them. The Buringruds observed their 35th wedding anniversary February 19. They had been residents of St. Ansgar since 1971.

Mr. Buringrud was a charter member of the Masonic Coronado Lodge No. 1406 and El Maida Shrine Temple, El Paso, Tex.

He is survived by his wife, Juanita, of St. Ansgar; daughters, Tommie Niland of El Paso, Tex.; Iris Arickx of Mitchell; and a son, Michael of St. Ansgar; three brothers, Dean, Harold and Galen, all of Fairfield, Calif.; three sisters, Elaine Weinmiller of Fairfield, Calif.; Marilyn Halvorson of Reno, Nev.; and Sharon Mears of Fairfield, Calif.; his mother, Elsie Buringrud of Fairfield, calif.; also three grandsons and one granddaughter.

Burial was in the Ogden cemetery, Otranto township, with Rev. Wittern in charge of the committal services. Military honors were by the honor squad of the local Walter T. Enneberg Post No. 358 of the American Legion.

[ St. Ansgar Enterprise -- circa 28 FEB 1980 ]