LeoraBelle “Larry” Torgerson
Aug. 26, 1929 – Dec. 13, 2019
Memorial Service for
LeoraBelle “Larry” Torger-
son, 90, of Dickinson, will
be 10:00 a.m., Saturday,
January 4, 2020 at Steven-
son Funeral Home in Dic-
kinson, with Pastor Joe
Natwick officiating. Buri-
al will take place in Zion
Lutheran Cemetery in Tio-
ga, ND.
Larry passed away De-
cember 13, 2019 at her
home in Dickinson.
Leora Belle (Larry)
Torgerson was united
with her Heavenly Father
on December 13th, 2019
after more than a yearlong
battle with cancer, which
she fought with courage
and dignity. Larry was
born on August 26th,
1929 (also known as the
“Day of the Pinnacle
Queen”) to Eric and Leta
Gudvangen, on the family
farm in McGregor, ND.
She attended McGregor
School where she met her
soulmate, Duane (Torgy).
With the little motion of
Duane’s pointer finger one
evening, Larry fell
head-over-heels in love
and they were married in
Williston on May 3rd,
1951. Together they
raised four rambunctious
children on the family
farm outside of Tioga, ND.
Duane and Larry took
over the family farm
where she worked
shoulder-to-shoulder with
Duane tending the fields
and baling hay. In 1967
they bought Tioga’s Tex-
aco Station, which then
was affectionately called
“Torgy’s Texaco” by lo-
cals. Larry also worked
steadfast at the Texaco
station doing everything
from filling fuel and
checking oil to washing
vehicles. Because of their
natural connection, they
turned out to be the best
partners, both in life and
business, which allowed
them to succeed in all of
their many adventures.
Larry was a gentle and
kind mother- permitting
her children to “adopt”
many stray, and wild an-
imals, including a skunk,
crow, and baby rabbits
among others. She was
the most caring, energetic
and entertaining Grand-
ma, always making spe-
cial sewn gifts, going on
picnics, and playing
games with her grandchil-dren. She was a “Mom”
and “Grandma” to many
people she befriended
during her life.
She enjoyed entertain-
ing and was very good at
it, juggling homemade
hors d’ oeuvres in the
kitchen with creative
games and activities for
guests- and always a ful-
ly stocked bar for toddies.
Her friends were a huge
part of her lively life; al-
most always accompany-
ing them on their many
camping trips and week-
end activities.
Larry had many in-
terests- She was addict-
ed to crossword puzzles
and loved pinnacle. She
shared most every morn-
ing at her kitchen table
with her late son, Greg in
a hand or two of pinnacle.
She continued to play
pinnacle faithfully, right
up until the end. Larry
also loved sewing, starting
with special clothes for
her daughter, Lee when
she was small, then mov-
ing to teddy bears, and
then finally quilts. She
soon became a
one-woman quilting facto-
ry, making heart-felt gifts
for family and friends.
She also loved stuffed an-
imals, displaying them in
her homes and finding
comfort from one bear
whom she affectionately
named “Melfie” near the
end of her life.
Larry and Duane were
not only life-partners, but
dance partners; they had a
well-known reputation in
Tioga to be able to really
‘cut a rug’. There were
many times when certain
music came on, Larry and
Lee at the spur of the mo-
ment, would get up and
dance the jitterbug.
Larry is survived by
her sons, Miles (Ann)
Torgerson of Whitewood,
SD, Larry (Nancy) Torger-
son of Tioga; daughter,
LeEtta (Ken) Steier of Dic-
kinson; grandchildren,
Eric (Cindy) Torgerson of
Commerce City, CO, Chad
(Natalie) Torgerson of Dic-
kinson, Jordan
(Stephanie) Torgerson of
Bismarck, Holly (Steve)
Grubb of Tioga, Ashley
(Dan) Asensio of Dickin-
son, and Colton (Saman-
tha) Steier of Dickinson;
and twelve
great-grandchildren and
five
great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in
death by her husband of
56 years, Duane; son,
Greg; grandson, Lance;
parents, Eric and Leta;
and brothers, Ernest and
Melford.
Remembrances and
condolences may be
shared with the family at
www.stevensonfuneralho
me.com.
Stevenson Funeral
Home & Crematory, Dic-
kinson