Wendell N. Wigtil

Wendell Newell Wigtil was born May 29, 1924, in Walcott, ND. He was the youngest child of Peter N. and Christine (Larson) Wigtil. Wendell was baptized and confirmed in the Walcott Lutheran Church. He attended the Walcott Elementary School and graduated from Walcott High School in 1942. Wendell was inducted into the Army, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, in June, 1943. He served in the European Theater in WWII (England, Germany, Austria, and France), from November, 1944, through April, 1946. Upon returning from the service, he attended Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, graduating in June, 1950. On June 30, 1950, he married Gloria Aanestad at Olivet Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND, and eventually had three children: Greg, Mary, and Doug. He was a Sales Representative for Berg Auto Supply, Auto Parts, Inc., and Castle Chemical Company. He and Gloria were charter members of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Moorhead.

After Wendell retired, he and Gloria spent most of each summer at Crystal Lake near Pelican Rapids, MN. He would have spent more time at the lake, but four days a week was enough for Gloria.

At some point, Wendell and Gloria started spending part of the winter in Arizona with his brothers and their wives. However, after their first grandchild, Nick, was born, the trips stopped. They didn’t want to miss anything. A few years later, their second grandchild, Rachelle, was born. As Nick and Rachelle grew older, the happy grandparents looked forward to many activities including Christmas programs, sporting events, and dance recitals.

Wendell was quiet, unassuming, never boastful, and honest. He was strongly of the opinion that if you were going to do something, do it right.

Wendell had few vices. However, provided he could remember where he’d set it down, his almost constant companion was a cup of coffee. Some, though, argued that his coffee was really just tinted water. During his last couple of years, no matter how he felt, a cup of cappuccino usually perked him up.

Although generally healthy, during his last couple of decades, doctors treated Wendell for quite a few ailments. He overcame all but one. He couldn’t overcome Alzheimer’s disease.

After Gloria died, April, 17, 2011, Wendell’s daughter, Mary, took care of him in his home in Moorhead, where he’d lived since 1957, until he died peacefully in the early morning of April 19, 2019. He was a good man.

Wendell was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Gloria; his parents; and his siblings: Norris Wigtil, Evelyn Engen, and Palmer Wigtil. He is survived by his children: Gregory Wigtil, Mary Wigtil, and Douglas (Kay) Wigtil; his grandchildren: Nickolas (Lauren) Wigtil and Rachelle (Cory) Deutz; two great grandchildren on the way; a bunch of nieces and nephews and their families; his brother-in-law, Robert (Alice) Aanestad; and his sisters-in-law, Corrine Zimmerman and Nadine Wigtil.

Visitation will be Friday, April 26, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

Funeral service will be Saturday, April 27, at 1:30 p.m., in The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Moorhead, MN.

Interment will be at Prairie Home Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.