Edwin “Ed” Spitzer, age 94, of Valley City, ND, died Saturday, September 15th at the Sheyenne Care Center in Valley City. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, September 21st at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Valley City. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM Thursday evening at the church. Interment will be in St. Catherine’s Catholic Cemetery.
Edwin “Ed” was born on June 11, 1924, the second of five children (three sisters and one brother), to parents, Johanna (Scheirer) and Andrew Spitzer in Bismarck, ND. There he spent his childhood in education, delivering papers and later as a caddy at the Bismarck golf course. He spent two years in the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC’s) in Minnesota, fighting forest fires. On April 6, 1943, at age 18, he was inducted into the US Military Service. He was in the 17th Airborne Division and served in the European Theatre. At the end of the war, he returned to the US on the Queen Mary and marched in the NY Victory Parade. He was honorably discharged from service in January 1946. He relocated to Jamestown, ND with fellow Army buddies. June 11 (his birthday) of that year, he was admitted to Trinity Hospital in Jamestown with a severe case of spinal meningitis. He spent 46 days recovering. September 22, 1947, he married Madeline “Sonny” Sondag, his former nurse at St. John’s Academy chapel. They became parents to five children; son, Loren; daughters, Connie Marie, Jean Marie, Lynn Marie, and Carol Marie. The family relocated to Valley City, ND in the fall of 1949. He purchased and operated a service station (Ed’s Texaco) and worked 33 years before retiring. He was meticulous with clean cars, garage, and a manicured lawn. Ed belonged to the Elks, Eagles, American Legion, VFW, and the Valley City Town and Country Club. He was active in golf and bowling. He watched football (MN Vikings) and baseball (MN Twins) and western movies. Ed enjoyed playing cards, especially the cribbage battles with daughter, Jean and daughter-in-law, Mavis. On their 50th wedding anniversary, he was baptized and confirmed and became a member of the Catholic family at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Valley City.
He is survived by his wife, Madeline; son, Loren (Mavis) of Georgia; daughters, Connie Harris of Fargo, Jean McQuay of Big Lake, MN, Lynn (Duane) Osowski of Grand Forks, and Carol Hanisch of Las Vegas, NV; and a sister, Darlene of Casper, WY. Ed is “Bumpa” to 14 grandchildren and an ever-increasing number of great grandchildren.
His greatest achievements in life were being a good son, husband, father and friend along with helping others when needed.
The family prefers no flowers. Memorials may be made to the Sheyenne Care Center, Hospice, or to a place of your choice.