29 Oct Dennis Ylitalo

Dennis D. Ylitalo, 76, passed away on October 27, 2021 in Bismarck, ND.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, November 5, 2021 at Bismarck Funeral Home. A live stream of the service will be available on Bismarck Funeral Home and Crematory Facebook Page.

Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan with full military honors.

Dennis was born in Ashland, WI to Wayne and Viola (Anderson) Ylitalo on May 26, 1945. He attended schools in Ashland and Marengo before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1963. He was a part of the 25^th Infantry, Tropic Lightning, and was stationed in Hawaii and Vietnam. Dennis was proud to be a Vietnam Veteran.

After being honorably discharged in 1967, he moved to various locations in the U.S. before putting his roots down in Oregon. Dennis worked in radiator repair shops before starting his own business hauling firewood. Later on he enjoyed some years long-haul trucking. In 2018, he moved to North Dakota to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

Dennis was a jack of all trades. He was an avid fisherman and he passed his love of fishing on to his daughter. He loved doing woodworking, gardening and general “toodling around the house”. He had a huge sense of humor, an obnoxiously optimistic attitude and was always ready to give unwelcomed but good-hearted advice. He will be missed immensely.

Dennis is survived by his daughters, Margaret “Mickey” (Jesse) Irvin, Denise (Josh) Johnson, and Tami (Jeff) Olson; grandchildren, Tristan, Silas and Eden Johnson, and Nicholas, Elisabeth and Brett Olson; sister, Julie Spoonemore, and many nieces and nephews who all loved him very much.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ramon Ylitalo, and sister, Marilynne Hagstrom.

To view a recording of the service click here.