Williams County ND
Obituaries and Death Notices

Merlin Papka
Funeral services for Merlin “Bud” Papka, 73, Tioga, N.D., will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007, at the First Lutheran Church in Tioga. Pastor Sandra Anderson will officiate, and interment will be in the United Cemetery, Tioga.
Merlin was born Aug. 12, 1933, in Estelline, S.D., the son of Stanley and Mamie (Olson) Papka. He was raised and educated in Estelline. Bud worked for various farmers while in school and for a time shortly after.
Bud met and married the love of his life Mary Deering on Oct. 5, 1952, in Estelline and cherished her for 54 years. He worked for gas stations in Bruce, N.D., and Billings for several years. The family later moved to Molt, where Bud worked on a ranch for three years before moving back to Billings where Bud worked for several oil field companies. The family moved to Sidney in 1980, where Bud worked for Trico Industries and was later transferred with the company to Columbus, N.D., in 1986 and later to Tioga in 1988. Bud retired in 1993 due to his health. Bud and Mary have continued to live in Tioga since. Bud passed away Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at the Trinity Medical Center in Minot, N.D.
He was a member of First Lutheran Church in Tioga.
Bud enjoyed woodworking, camping and fishing at the local lakes and his dogs. He is best remembered for his smile and sense of humor.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, Tioga, N.D.; one son, Ross (Barb) Papka, Sidney; three daughters, Sandra Lien, Tioga, N.D., Della (Dale) Deckert, Glendive, and Dena (Barry) Bolton, Hilger; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one brother Dennis Papka; and five sisters Darlene Colberg, Karen Mahan, Judy Keimeg, Janice (Dale) Sonnenberg and Cindy (Roland) Rust, all of Estelline, S.D.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife’s parents, Walt and Doris Deering; and two brothers-in-law Wally Colberg and Dean Mahan.
Friends may call at the church one hour prior to services on Wednesday.
[unknown newspaper, c. Feb. 8, 2007, unknown contributor]

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John L. Townsend
"The following obituary is from the Williston (ND) Herald of July 15:
John L. Townsend died at his home in this city, 16 west seventh street, Saturday evening at nine o'clock, following a lingering illness of about nine years, and for the past three weeks had been confined to his bed. Death was due to Bright's disease.
The deceased was born in Milltown, Maine, July 18, 1866, and with his parents moved to Princeton, Minn., where he attended school. On April 22, 1895, he was united in marriage at St. Cloud to Miss Winnifred Larkin, also of Princeton, and came with his wife to Dickinson and later to Schafer, McKenzie county, where he was in the ranch business for a number of years. For the past fifteen years he has been a resident of Williston and for some time was employed by the Great Northern railroad company, but due to ill health was unable to work all the time. Besides his wife, Mrs. J. L. Townsend, six children survive. They are Mrs. C. J. Bannitz, Misses Vivian, Nina Claire, Molly and Dorothy Townsend and John Townsend. He leaves three brothers, George and Fred Townsend, Princeton, Minn.; Gus Townsend, Salem, Oregon, and one sister, Mrs. A. W. Woodcock, Redcliff, Canada. George Townsend was the only one able to attend the funeral. Funeral services were conducted from St. Joseph's Catholic church, on Tuesday morning at 9:30 o'clock, Father O'Neill officiating. Interment was made in the Riverview cemetery.
[The Princeton Union., (Princeton, Minn.) - July 22, 1920 - Sub. by K.T.]

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Donald W. Ware
An accident involving an oil field truck killed a Tioga man Wednesday afternoon.
Donald W. Ware, 47, driver of one of the two trucks involved, died at the accident scene west of New Town on State Highway 23 in McKenzie County. The truck rolled over in the ditch.
[10 Apr 1958; Aberdeen Daily News - Sub. by K.T.]