Howard Svenningsen, 83 of Page and Valley City, ND passed away at Sanford on Broadway in Fargo, ND June 16, 2024. A gathering of family and friends will be on Friday, June 21 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Lerud Mathias Funeral Home. His memorial service will be held in Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Valley City at 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 22 with an hour of visitation prior to the service at the church. He will be laid to rest in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Sanborn, ND. The service will be live streamed, then archived, on a link provided along with his obituary on his tribute page at www.lerudmathias.com. An online guestbook is available there as well.
Howard Leroy Svenningsen was born on November 3, 1940, to Svend and Emma (Johnson) Svenningsen in Cooperstown, ND. Even at a young age, Howard was drawn to farming. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be taken to the yard while the adults were working in the field, only to be found back in the field because he needed to be out farming.
Howard attended school at Grand Prairie, where his teacher helped him develop his love for reading by sponsoring a subscription to National Geographic Magazine for her students. After 67 years, the subscription to National Geographic continues to be delivered to the Svenningsen mailbox, providing endless articles to share–especially with his kids and grandkids.
He attended and graduated from Valley City High School, class of 1960. One of Howard’s fondest memories from this time was being a star player (with an impressive vertical) on the 1960 Valley City Boys Basketball Team. This remains Valley City’s only boys’ basketball team to win a state title.
He served in the North Dakota National Guard from 1961 to 1967 as a Supply Sergeant in the Engineer Unit in Valley City. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant/E6.
He married Mary Ellen Wagner in Sanborn, ND on January 5th, 1968, in the middle of a snowstorm. It was -30 and Mary’s dad had to call in the snowplows to open the roads. Howard and Mary bought the Harold Eberley farm in 1969. They raised mainly wheat, barley, corn, and sunflowers and several types of feathered fowl: geese, ducks, pheasants, chickens, and partridge. They had five children: Ann, Emy, Quin, Glen, and Jo Marie, who all worked on the farm. In 1993, the family received the Overall Conservation Farmer Award.
If Howard wasn’t mowing road ditches, wearing his long-sleeve sweatshirt, insulated jeans and Carhartt vest, you could find him watching grandchildren’s activities, Wheel of Fortune, NBA, or playing solitaire. He also enjoyed woodworking and was very good at it. Everything he made was built to last. Howard was known for his sweet tooth and loved a heaping bowl of ice cream that he often shared with his 4-legged-friend.
Howard is survived by Mary, his wife of 56 years; his children: Ann (Brett) Bowman; Emy (Nick) Shockman; Quin (Jennifer Heitzmann); Glen (Charlene Poseley); Jo Marie (Isaac) Allen, grandchildren: Charlie Bowman; Abby (Gavin) Reinke, Josey and Kenley Shockman; Taylyn Storbeck, Jaynie and Simon Svenningsen; Payne Drake; Manny, Sloane, and River Allen; sister, Robin (Steve) Winter; step-brother, Michael Harrison; brother-in-law, John Wagner; sister-in-law, Carmen Svenningsen; uncle and aunt, Gordy (Ranee) Svenningsen; niece and nephew, Kylie (Devin) Weber and Colton (Beka Hilgemann).
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Svend and Emma Svenningsen; stepmother, Shirley; brother, Larry; stepsister, Nanette Pollock; grandsons: Carter Bowman, Griffin Svenningsen, and Drake Svenningsen; niece Britton Weber.
Howard continued to work on the farm up until the week before his death. The farm was and is him in so many ways and the grandkids believe “invisible papa How’” will always be on the farm.
The Lerud Mathias Funeral Home in Valley City is assisting the Svenningsen family with arrangements. Preferred florist is Farm Girl Floral in LaMoure, ND.