Ruben Willis Humann, 90, of Bismarck, passed away on February 25, 2024 at Augusta Place Skilled Nursing surrounded by his family. Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, March 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Bismarck with Rev. Thomas Moldenhauer officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 pm at the Hazelton Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Monday from 5-7 p.m. at the Bismarck Funeral Home with a Prayer Service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.
Ruben was born on April 10, 1933, to Arthur and Magadelina (Maier) Humann on the family farm 12 miles west of Hazelton, ND. He was the 3 rd of 11 children. He was baptized at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hazelton. He attended the Gayton Country School until 8 th grade after which he helped with the daily operation of the family farm and helping get his younger brothers and sisters to and from the country school.
In November 1953 he joined the Army. After basic training in Fort Riley, Kansas he served in Korea and Hawaii. Ruben received the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. He was honorably discharged in October 1955.
Just before entering the service, he met the love of his life Harriet (Beseler) who was soon to graduate and enter Nursing school. Their love flourished through numerous letters and postcards. On October 6, 1957 Ruben and Harriet were married at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hazelton and together had 4 children.
Their first year of marriage was spent in Darlington, Wisconsin where Ruben’s army and lifelong friend Lyle Schwartz and his wife lived. Ruben worked several jobs including delivering eggs to a warehouse in Chicago. Although Ruben was away from the farm for several years his love for farming never wavered. When his Dad called him with the opportunity to take over the farming operation Ruben and his pregnant wife moved to the family farm where he was born and raised. Ruben had a passion for taking great care of his land and livestock and was always willing to provide help to the neighbors. His passion instilled the value of agriculture and the reward of a long day of hard work to his family and many who worked on the farm with him. Ruben enjoyed camping and fishing at the river, taking his family on long trips to visit relatives and friends and spending time with his grandchildren.
Ruben served his community by being active in several organizations including the Hazelton Lions and the Hazelton American Legion. He also served on the Hazelton Farmer’s Union Board and the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Council.
Ruben was always inventing or adapting tools and machinery to help improve the farming operation, with several of his inventions registered for patent pending. His children fondly remember the merry-go-round he built out of an old wire spoke wheel and the trampoline mat he came home with one day and made a frame that lasted through thousands of jumps.
In 1996, Ruben and Harriet decided to pass the farming legacy to son Pat, and they moved to Badger Bay near the Missouri River 14 miles west of Hazelton. They spent over 20 years watching the North Dakota sunsets on the river and hosting numerous family gatherings. Although ‘retired’ from farming Ruben continued regular visits to the farm and helped fix fence, cut hay, and take care of the cows. In 2017, Ruben and Harriet moved to Lakewood Landing Assisted Living in Mandan and later to Augusta Place in Bismarck.
Happy to have shared his life, his strong work ethic and devoted faith is his wife Harriet of 66 years; his daughter, Charlotte (David) Heer, of Hazelton; two sons, Patrick (Brenda) Humann, of Bismarck and Mitchell (Jill) Humann, of Fargo; six grandchildren, Joel (Whitney) Heer, Jesse Heer, Darby Humann, Cheyenne Humann, Jaden Wentz, and Dylan Wentz; nine great grandchildren; three brothers, Leroy (Carol) Humann, Monte Humann, Terry Humann; three sisters, Ella Kalberer, Eunice Nelson, and Ester (George) Huber; five sister-in-laws, Julie Humann, Madeline Humann, Mary Humann, Alice Delzer and Maxine Beseler and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Richard; grandson, Jeremy Lasher; three brothers, Edwin, Alvin, Robert; sister, Edna Grenz and several brother and sister-in-laws.