Obituary: Denny Land

Denny Land

Denny Land, overcame some serious health issues in the recent years, but on February 3, 2023, he lost the battle.

There will be a celebration of Denny's life on April 22, 2023, at the Maple Grove, Minn., Community Center from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.. Burial will be at the Carrington, N.D., Cemetery on April 28 at 2:00 p.m.

Denny Land was born March 3, 1944, the firstborn child to Vernus and Vivian Land. Denny was living his best life on the family farm and loved being his dad's little sidekick. Sadly, things changed in 1953 when Vernus passed away from cancer.

The farm was later sold and he moved into town with his mother and two sisters, but the farm held a special place in his heart throughout his lifetime. No trip to Carrington was complete without a drive to his former country home.

Denny's favorite hobbies as a young man were archery and roller skating with friends. He was smooth as glass on a pair of skates!

Denny enlisted in the Air Force in June 1962. He received his technical training at Shepard Air Force Base in Texas, then on to England Air Force Base in Louisiana. From there, he was assigned to temporary duty abroad doing in-flight refueling in the Azores before being deployed to Vietnam. Denny was honorably discharged in June 1966, having been awarded the small arms expert marksmanship and Vietnam service medal.

Denny worked at Hector airport in Fargo as an airplane mechanic following his military service and was later employed at Swanston Equipment as a bobcat mechanic for several years.

It was during this time that he met and married Anne Zumpf, they were together for 23 years.

Denny became an over the road truck driver and was proud to have logged nearly a million miles on the road.

On December 26, 1993, he was united in marriage to Mary Ann Ford in Devils Lake, N.D. They made their home in Phoenix, Arizona, before moving to Maple Grove, Minn., where they remained.

Denny had a passion for airplanes, motorcycles, CB radios and model cars. He belonged to the Gold Wing Roadriders Association and the Patriot Guard Riders, the Heart of Minnesota Great Dane Club, as well as the Great Dane Club of America. Together Denny and Mary Ann raised and cared for their eight Great Danes over the years.

Denny's prized possession was his Gold Wing motorcycle, which he later converted to a trike allowing him to continue riding up until the past couple of years.

Denny was a patient man with a kind and gentle spirit. He treasured his lifelong friendships and any opportunity to gather with both family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann and faithful companion, Sadie; sister, Patty (Jerome) Zink; brother-in-law, Bob (Kathaleen) Ford; sister-in-law, Sarah (Ford) O'Clair and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his father, Vernus; mother, Vivian Land (Price) and sister, Diane Land (Pierce).

Arrangements by Evans Funeral Home, Carrington and New Rockford, N.D.