Albert “Bert” Shomento

Albert Lawrence “Bert”

Shomento, 79, longtime

Minot businessman and

community leader, died

on Sunday, September 9,

2018, at his home in

Minot surrounded by his

loving family.

Bert was born on Au-

gust 24, 1939, in Hibbing,

MN, to Albert and Car-

mella (Perella) Shomento.

He was raised in

Nashwauk, MN, and gra-

duated from Nashwauk

High School and Hibbing

Junior College. In 1959, at

the age of 20, he and his

mother opened Sammy’s

Pizza Palace on West Cen-

tral Avenue in Minot. He

enlisted in the Army

Reserve in 1960 and at-

tended Minot State Teach-

ers College.

Bert met his soulmate,

Anna Marie Schneider,

when they were both

playing trumpet at a

Minot City Band concert

at Trinity Nursing Home.

His father was the director

of the band. They were

married at First Pres-

byterian Church in Minot

on February 2, 1964. They

purchased a home in

Minot which remained

their residence for 51

years and where they

raised their four children:

Bill, Gina, Tony and

Maria.

Bert was an innovative

community leader. As

president of the Minot

Music Boosters, he spear-

headed concerts by May-

nard Ferguson and the

Tommy Dorsey Band and

started the “Taste of

Minot” in 1983. He

served, along with Bob

Schempp and Jim Mara-

gos, as a comptroller for

for-profit booths at the

Norsk Hostfest. He also

started the “Spud-Hog”

booth for the Red Cross at

the Hostfest. In 1978, Bert

was named the “Elk of the

Year” by the Minot Elks

Lodge for his work in re-

viving and managing the

Minot Elks Band. He

served on the boards of

Minot Music Boosters,

Minot Elks Band, Ameri-

can Red Cross local

chapter and Minot Com-

mission on Aging.

An outstanding trumpet

player at an early age, Bert

was frequently called

upon to play for circuses,

ice shows and dance

bands. He was a member

of the Minot City Band

and performed with the

Minot Elks concert and

dance bands for over 50

years. He and Anna Marie

shared their love for

music throughout their

54-year marriage.

After 41 years as a busi-

nessman, Bert retired

from Sammy’s Pizza in

2000. The years that fol-

lowed were ones of

wonderful travel experi-

ences, including trips to

Cancun and Jamaica with

all 17 members of his

family.

An avid hunter, Bert

relished his annual

deer-hunting camp with

his hunting pals, his sons

and his grandsons. His

favorite spot on earth was

the cabin on Lake

McArthur in the Turtle

Mountains which he and

his family built in 1980.

Bert will always be

remembered for his sage

advice, his kindness, his

sense of humor and his

endless generosity.

Bert’s loving family in-

cludes: his wife of 54

years, Anna Marie; his

children Colonel William

(Dr. Stacy) Shomento of

Bozeman, MT, Gina Ger-

ling of Plymouth, MN,

Tony (Teri) Shomento of

Devils Lake, ND, and

Maria Shomento (Mark

Sontag) of Fargo, ND; his

grandchildren Sofia,

Anya, Henry, Samuel,

Jacob and Jyles Shomento

and Cameron and Maria

Gerling; his sisters Denise

(Jim) Schullo of Hibbing,

MN, and Betty (Tom)

Meade of Minneapolis,

MN; his brother David

(Tarryll) Shomento of

Minot, ND; and many

nieces, nephews and

cousins.

Bert was preceded in

death by: his parents.

Celebration of Life ser-

vice: Saturday, September

22, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. in

Cornerstone Presbyterian

Church, Minot.

Interment: Rosehill

Memorial Park, Minot.

Visitation: At his re-

quest, there will not be a

reviewal, however friends

may sign a memorial re-

gister book and visit with

family on Friday, Sep-

tember 21, 2018, from

4:00-6:00 p.m. in Thomas

Family Funeral Home,

Minot.

Memorials are preferred

to Bert’s favorite charity,

St. Jude’s Hospital for

Children or Trinity Health

Hospice.

Those wishing to sign

the online memorial regis-

ter or share memories are

invited to use the expres-

sions of sympathy section

at (www.thomas

familyfuneralhome.com).