Christian Mook

Christian Mook

Christian Mook, 89, Bismarck, died Dec. 24, 2005, at a Bismarck care center. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, with the Rev. Paul Becker officiating. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery in Mandan with military honors provided by VFW Post No. 1326.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a Catholic Daughter's rosary will be held at 7 p.m.

Christian Mook was born Oct. 15, 1916, in Mandan, to John and Frances (Boehm) Mook. He attended grade school at St. Joseph's Elementary and graduated from Mandan High School. Christian enlisted in the U.S. Navy Jan. 23, 1942, and served in the African and European Theaters of War. Christian was a mechanic's mate and served on LCT's which were the landing craft that squired soldiers to shore during the invasions of North Africa and Italy.

After Christian was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in November 1945, he began a long career as a brakeman and conductor for the Northern Pacific and later, the Burlington Northern Railroad. Christ rode many a mile in the caboose of freight and coal trains on the Mandan to Glendive mainline, and he retired from the railroad in 1981. Chris also served from time to time, as a conductor on the North Coast Hiawatha passenger train that traveled through Bismarck-Mandan until 1979, when passenger service was ended through Bismarck/Mandan.

Christian was united in marriage to Veronica (Bonnie) Ehlis at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mandan May 21, 1955, and together they spent over 50 happy years together in marriage. In later years, after Christ retired from the railroad, he and Bonnie bought a boat and they loved to take the boat out fishing for walleyes with friends and family on Lake Oahe. They also took a fishing trip to Alaska.

Christ is survived by two sons and two daughters, John Ehlis, Sr., Mandan, Joe Ehlis, Chewela, Wash., Linda Renner, Redmond, Wash., and Arlene Mook, Snohomish, Wash.; his grandchildren and their spouses, John Ehlis, Jr. and Michelle, Mandan, Randy and Cathy Ehlis, Mandan, Tracy and Gene Auch, Wisconsin, Jim and Denise Ehlis ,Seattle, Mark Hindenock, New York, and Kelly Renner, Seattle; one sister, Elizabeth Mettler, Sacramento, Calif.; and numerous great-grandchildren.

Preceding Christian in death were his parents; two sisters, Magdalen Mousel, and Katherine Koppy; and two brothers, Joseph, who died in infancy, and Jacob, who was also a World War II Navy veteran.

Christ lived a long and happy life, and we who survive him are saddened by his passing but grateful for the years the Good Lord gave us to share with him.