Vernon LeRoy Wenger

Vernon LeRoy Wenger, 92, of Minot, formerly of Max, North Dakota, passed away on March 10, 2026, at his residence.

Born on March 21, 1933, on the family farm west of Max to John and Martha (Wendschlag) Wenger, Vernon grew up working alongside his family. He attended school in Max, helped with all the farm chores, and was often hired by neighbors for field work. As a young man, he spent five seasons combining in the south with the Zahnow Combiners. He later moved to Minot, where he worked at Campus Texaco and Fisher Motors.

On June 14, 1959, Vernon married the love of his life, Barbara Elaine Mickelson, at First Evangelical United Brethren Church, later known as Faith United Methodist Church. Together they were deeply involved in their church, serving on many committees, with Vernon acting as an usher for many years. They attended the Dakotas United Methodist Church Conference for twelve years, and he served on the Board of Equalization Committee. In 1968, following his father’s death, Vernon and Barbara purchased the family farm near Max. They built a new home so his mother could remain in her original house, and they farmed there for thirty years while Vernon also worked as service manager at Fisher Motors and later Nielsen & Stewart Inc.

Vernon was a longtime member of the Eagles, Elks, and Moose organizations. He was especially active in the Eagles Club, serving as local, state, and regional president, helping break ground for the new club building on 16th Street in Minot, and earning numerous awards. He was also a member of several farm-related organizations, including the Farm Credit Association, Nodak Mutual Insurance, Max Farm Services, McLean Electric Co-op, and Reservation Telephone Co-op.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Barbara, who passed in June 2020, his parents, his sister Margie, and his brother Odean.

Vernon is survived by his three sons, Keith (Tracy) Wenger of Max, Dr. Barry J. Wenger (Steven Hoover) of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Kevin (Karyn) Wenger of Granville; ten grandchildren; twenty-four great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He spent his final years at Edgewood on 10th, where he cherished visits with family and conversations with fellow residents and staff.