George Waliser

George Waliser

George Ferdinand Waliser, 88, Bismarck, died Feb. 5, 2022, while a resident in assisted living at Edgewood on Dominion where he resided since July 2018. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m., at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, 4211 Old Red Trail NW, Mandan with Msgr. Chad Gion officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, with a Vigil/Rosary service at 7 p.m. at DaWise-Perry. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in St. Philomena Catholic Cemetery, Selfridge, ND.

George was born 6 miles WNW of Selfridge, on the John Fleck Sr. farm which his parents were renting at the time to Michael and Martina (Mosset) Waliser Aug. 5, 1933. In 1938, they moved to and rented the John Briski farm 3.5 miles SW of Selfridge until 1944 when they purchased their own family farm 6 miles S of Selfridge.

George attended the Golden Wealth Country School with his siblings from 1938 until 1946 when St. Philomena Parish School was completed, upon which he enrolled until completing the eighth grade in 1947. In the fall of 1947, George was sent to Conception Abbey outside Maryville, Missouri for his high school education and religious instruction, graduating in May of 1950.

George then moved back to the family farm to work for his father until hiring on with the USDA Soil Conservation Service at Ashley, in 1955 as a Field Technician. He fit in great there as he was fluent in German of which most of the farmers primarily spoke in McIntosh County. It was here he met and married Betty (Glaesmann – divorced 1980) and had three sons before transferring to Washburn in 1960, living there until 1980 and having four more children. In 1976-77 George ran the SCS office in New Town, commuting from Washburn. After a short return to his old position in Washburn, he transferred to the State SCS office in Bismarck where he worked as a Draftsman until he retired in 1990. Before leaving Washburn, he was awarded a plaque in a ceremony honoring him for planting over two million trees in his career which is a big deal in ND.

Since retiring from the Federal Government, George kept busy as a part time Mail Carrier to Sioux County, and Blackjack Dealer, Fry Cook, Bar Tender, all at the Bismarck Elks which became his home away from home. But it was his 28-year membership as a Second Tenor in the Bis-Man Elks Chorus which he enjoyed doing the most. The fellowship, singing engagements, national trips, conventions, etc. defined much of his life outside his family.

George is survived by his best friend of over 30 years, Mary Bertch, Bismarck; children, Timothy, Washburn, Michael (Ana), Lompoc, Calif., Susan Corwin, Portland, Ore., Paul (Janelle), Bismarck, Cynthia Lunsmann (Lars), Albany, Ore., and Thomas, Scottsdale, Ariz.; 14 grandchildren, two step grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

Surviving siblings are Betty, Bismarck, Robert (Sandra), Selfridge, Joseph (Carol), Piedmont, S.D., John (Gail), Lisbon, Patricia Aldinger (John), Underwood, Ronald (Jenny), Garrison, Diane, Bismarck, sister-in-law Diane (Blotske), St. Marys, Kan., and brother in law Richard Vollmuth, Hot Springs, S.D.

Preceding him in death was his son David 1960, parents Michael 1976, Martina 1987, siblings Catherine, Ann Hoon, James, Michael Jr, Anthony, Helen Holzer, Mary Vollmuth, & brothers in law Joseph Hoon & Anton Holzer.

Arrangements are entrusted to DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, Mandan.