Leo Werlinger

Leo B. Werlinger passed away unexpectedly on July 18, 2021, at the age of 84. Leo was born on the family farm south of Napoleon, ND, on June 5, 1937, to Anton and Rose (Mitzel) Werlinger. He attended a rural country school through the eighth grade, graduating from Napoleon High School in 1956. In his youth Leo developed his lifelong love for playing sports. He lettered in the four sports offered at Napoleon High, and loved to play slow pitch softball, playing regularly until he was 56. Leo graduated from North Dakota State University in 1960 in Pharmacy. After a residency in Beach, ND, he accepted a pharmacist position in 1961 with White Drug in Fargo. It was there he met Connie Gunderson, and in 1962 they were married. Leo spent the next 20 years as a pharmacist with White Drug and later also assumed the manager role of the north Fargo locations. Leo and Connie raised their two children, Greg and Chris, on Fargo’s north side and loved their close-knit neighborhood. In 1981, Leo and Connie purchased Casselton Drug in Casselton, ND. Leo served on the Casselton Business and Professional Committee for a time. He sold the Casselton Drug store in 2004, and he and Connie returned to Fargo for retirement. In his retirement Leo spent cherished time with his wife, Connie, and together they kept busy helping friends and family and attending the events of their grandchildren. They were avid NDSU Bison football and basketball fans and tried to never miss a home game. Leo enjoyed playing golf at Moorhead Country Club with a regular group of friends. He will always be remembered as a playful grandfather who loved playing with his grandkids and great grandkids, teaching them sports. We are saddened he left us suddenly, but the memories he left us will remain, and we will believe as he did that tomorrow will always be better than today. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Rose Werlinger; brothers, Victor, Ray, Tony, Dennis, and Joseph; sisters, Phyllis, and Marcie. He is survived by his wife, Connie; two children, Gregory (Kim) Werlinger, Christi (Steve) Armbrust; five grandchildren, Logan (Anna) Werlinger, Dawson Werlinger, Annika Werlinger, Dustin (Samantha) Armbrust, and Katelyn (Tanner) Olson; five great-grandchildren: Oliver Armbrust, Nora Armbrust, Maggie Armbrust, Abigail Olson, Sophia Olson. A special thanks to Fargo’s first responders and the staff at Essentia Health. Memorials preferred to the contributor’s organization of choice in Leo’s name. There will be a funeral service at 10:00 AM on Thursday, July 22, 2021 at Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center, Fargo with a visitation one hour prior.