Wolfram Wald

The funeral Mass for Wolfram (Wally) Wald, 84, of Dickinson will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 20, 2017 – the Solemnity of St. Joseph – at Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Fr. Shannon Lucht and Fr. Kregg Hochhalter con-celebrating. Interment will take place at St. Patrick’s Cemetery on a later date.


Visitation for Wally will be 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 19, 2017 at Stevenson Funeral Home with a Rosary & Vigil service at 4:00 p.m.


Wolfram (Wally) Wald entered eternal life on March 14, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.


Wally was born March 8, 1933, the fourth child of Anton S. and Magdalena (Bosch) Wald on the family farm near Napoleon, North Dakota.


Wally married Betty (Dressler) on October 5, 1953 at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. Wally first worked for Montana-Dakota Utilities which was the cause for Wally and Betty making their home in several communities in western North Dakota, including Berthold and Minot. While working for MDU, Wally and Betty welcomed into the world their daughters Renée and Deborah (Deb). Wally was a man with an entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age. By the age of 26 Wally left MDU to purchase his first business – the grocery store in Manning, ND. Wally operated the store while Betty operated and cooked in the town’s café. After a time in Manning, Wally and Betty purchased the grocery store in Richardton, ND. Wally and Betty sold the grocery store in Richardton in 1966 and moved to Dickinson where they purchased The Rancher Motel, a business they operated together for 8 years.


In 1968, Wally’s entrepreneurial spirit continued to grow when he invested in Richardton Manufacturing – a company that produced high lift side-dump wagons. After selling their interest in Richardton Manufacturing Co., Wally and Betty purchased and became dealer principle of Richardton Farm Equipment Inc. Selling farm machinery and owning the store was a time of tremendous happiness for him. Many relationships were created in those years and those relationships were ones he and Betty cherished. His older grandchildren have vivid memories of those years too – from John Deere Days, to riding in tractors in parades, to the “candy cupboard” near the parts counter. Wally was a salesman who valued the sale relationship more than the sale itself.


Wally also spent time in the banking business, investing in First National Bank of Belfield, which later became Great Plains National Bank where Wally served as President of the Board of Directors for 33 years. The people he met in this business became life-long friends. Great Plains National Bank was sold in recent years to Choice Financial.


Wally and Betty were founding members of the Church of Queen of Peace in Dickinson, where Wally served on the parish council and was an usher. Wally was active in the Knights of Columbus, serving as District Deputy, Faithful Navigator of Assembly 790 and Grand Knight of Council 1515. He is also a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge 1137, St. Anthony Club, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Wally and Betty valued Catholic school education, where they invested their treasure and their time. Wally served as a Trinity Mardi Gras Chairman and most recently, as his health would allow, gave his time and knowledge toward the
Building Our Future; Embracing Our Past
Dickinson Catholic Schools Capital Campaign. Wally was so very proud to have had both of his daughters and his 5 grandchildren graduate from Trinity High School – and a source of recent joy – having 3 of his 6 great-grandchildren attending Trinity. Toward the end of his life, one thing that kept him strong was the desire to see the new Trinity Junior High and High School complete – and that he did! He was a believer in the strongest sense of the word.


As hard as it is to let him go, there is an unshakeable peace in knowing his suffering is now complete and through our faithful prayers he will be welcomed to eternal rest in the glorious presence of our God, where he will wait to listen to old-time music until Betty can join him one day and they can listen together. “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:23)


Wally is survived by his wife of 63 years, Betty; his children: Renée (Glen) Hochhalter and Deborah (Dr. John) Weir; grandchildren: Kelli (Scott) Schneider, Kenton (Erin) Hochhalter, Father Kregg Hochhalter, Nicholas Weir, and Gretchen Weir; his great-grandchildren: Katherine, Elizabeth, Joseph and Clare Schneider, and Kellen and Easton Hochhalter; one sister, Marcella (Francis) Streifel; one brother, Stanley Wald; two sisters-in-law, Ramona Larsen and Betty Dressler; and many nieces and nephews whom he loved very much.


Wally is preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Magdalena; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Baltzer (and Helen) Wald, Francis (and Sharon) Wald, and Milbert (and Sheila) Wald; his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Helen (and Ted) Olstad; his father and mother-in-law Philip and Lena Dressler; his brother-in-law, Mike Volk; sister-in-law, Irene Wald; his brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Nick Dressler (Frances and Lena); and his brother-in-law, Gene Dressler; his niece, Donna Carik; and his nephew, Russell Dressler.


In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Dickinson Catholic Schools or the Church of Queen of Peace.


wald wally memorial card


Burial Date: March 20, 2017
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 20, 2017 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church
Rosary & Vigil: 4:00 p.m., Sunday, March 19, 2017 at Stevenson Funeral Home
Visitation: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 19, 2017 at Stevenson Funeral Home