Lloyd Edward Awalt, 86, Bottineau, died June 12, 2013, in St. Andrews Hospital. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday at 10:00 am at the St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Bottineau. Visitation will be Sunday from 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 pm, all at th e Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. Burial will be at St. Mark’s Catholic Cemetery near Bottineau.

He was born on July 8, 1926 to John and Gertrude (Anderson) Awalt in St. Louis, MO. He was raised in Dunseith where he attended school until the age of 17 when he enlisted in the Navy. He served for three years, mostly on Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean, making sure the airplanes were flight ready, and sometimes as a gunner on those planes. After completion of his tour, he moved back to Dunseith, married his wife, Theresa (Cote), on May 18, 1949, and started raising a family. The Awalts have five children, 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

After working several different construction jobs in Minnesota and North Dakota, in 1962 he began work as a Federal Meat Inspector, beginning that career in Storm Lake, Iowa in 1962 and ending it in Bottineau, where he retired in 1985.

He has been very active in the American Legion for the past 63 years where he served as post commander at both Dunseith and Bottineau. One of his passions was coaching baseball which he did for 26 years, 13 of which were with the America Legion baseball program in Botti neau. He was instrumental in restarting the Legion baseball program in Bottineau in 2001 after the program had been dormant for several years. As a member of the American Legion, he took responsibility to make sure there was a parade and a service for each and every Memorial Day. He was a big part of establishing one of the largest American flag displays in the state of North Dakota that takes place each Memorial Day in Bottineau, with each flag representing a deceased veteran. To date, there are over 400 flags displayed. He was also President of the Senior Center, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and President of the Bottineau Men’s Choir. He received numerous awards over his life, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 and the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Award in 2005. He was a member of St. Marks Catholic Church. Throughout his life he enjoyed spending time with his family, playing and coaching baseball, bowling, singing in the men’s choir, wood working, and playing golf.

He said his greatest achievement in life was marrying his wife and raising his five children. He was a loving husband, father, grand father, great-grandfather, and uncle who was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years Theresa, Bottineau, ND; loving daughter Dianna (Daniel) Bullinger, Bottineau, ND; sons Rick (Tracey) Awalt, Minot, ND; Brian (Sandee) Awalt, Warroad, MN; Todd (Tracy) Awalt, Minot, ND., 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, brothers and sisters Eleanore (Leonard) Stickland, Mandan, ND, Marshall Awalt, New Port, NC, Emma Jean (Garry) Jolliffe, Chandler, AZ, Bill (Eunice) Awalt, Lincoln, NE, Bonnie (Keith) Houle, Becker, MN, and John (Gerri) Awalt, Coon Rapids, MN, and many nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Penny Bacon, and her two children, Anthony and Allison; his parents, John and Gertrude Awalt; and his sister-in-law Joan (Marshall) Awalt.

Arrangements are with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to the Bottineau County AmVets and St. Andrew’s Hospital in Bottineau.

There are two ways to be fooled.

One is to believe what isn’t true;
The other is to refuse to believe what is true.-Soren Kierkgaard- 1813-1855