Wayne Tommervik, age 90 of Fertile, MN, formerly of Bejou, MN, died Sunday, May 17, 2009 surrounded by family at Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile.

Wayne Howard Tommervik was born February 18, 1919, in Shelly, Minnesota, to Halvor and Ella (Garden) Tommervik. He lived with his family on a farm in Bear Park Township, Norman County, where he was baptized and confirmed at the Sundahl Lutheran Church. Wayne attended the Golden Willow Country School and the Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston, Minnesota. He was drafted into the Army on May 1, 1942, where he served as a tank commander with the 737th tank battalion, earning a Bronze Star and Good Conduct Medal. Wayne was an expert marksman with 45 automatics and army rifles, and his tank fought in the Battle of the Bulge. On May 19, 1943, while home on leave, Wayne married Opal Dahl, whom he had met at a dance in Fertile in 1940, at Rindahl, Minnesota.


After Wayne was honorably discharged from the Army on November 15, 1945, the couple lived in Crookston for about a year, while Wayne worked as a truck driver for the Crookston Milling Company. In 1946, they moved to a farm near Gary, Minnesota, where they lived for four years before purchasing a farm in Marsh Creek Township, Mahnomen County, in 1950, where they raised grain and beef cattle.
Wayne and Opal also raised four children: Sharon, Wendell, Keith, and Darlene, and enjoyed visiting and playing cards with family and friends.

Wayne was very active in the community: serving as a member of the Marsh Creek Town Board, Mahnomen Co-Op Elevator Board, Bejou School Board, Farmers Union, Bejou Senior Citizen's Board, Gary American Legion, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Board, and member and commander of the Bejou VFW Post 1226.

Wayne and Opal were also active members of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where Wayne served as a trustee. When Opal entered the nursing home in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in October of 2000, Wayne faithfully visited her three times a week, until she passed away on May 14, 2002. He lived on the farm until February of 2005, when he entered Fair Meadow Nursing Home in Fertile, Minnesota. An enjoyer of Red Man tobacco, he was never without a pack in his shirt pocket, and still enjoyed visiting and playing cards with family and friends.


Wayne is survived by his daughter, Darlene (Timothy) Bates of Stephen, Minnesota; daughter-in-law, Eileen Tommervik of Bejou; three grandsons: Jonathan Tommervik, Brian Tommervik and Brandon Bates; four granddaughters: Carla Arlien, Kris Blackburn, Sara Friesen, and Rachel Wilfahrt; six great-grandchildren: Aryanna Tommervik, Mara Larson, Kaitlyn Blackburn, Isaac Friesen, Sienna Friesen and Tyler Blackburn; sister-in-law, Tilda Dahl; and several nieces and nephews.

Wayne was preceded in death by his wife, Opal; his parents; daughter, Sharon Arlien-Heinrich; sons, Wendell and Keith; brothers: Ernest, Harold, Traverse, Cyrus and Lawrence; and sister, Charlotte Hanson.

Funeral Services were held Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 11 am at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bejou. Visitation was Tuesday, May 19th from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 pm at the Anderson~Mattson Funeral Home in Mahnomen, MN. Burial was in the Bejou City Cemetery, Bejou.