Roy Wakefield

Roy Louis Wakefield, 74, died on October 1, 2020, at home surrounded by loved ones. Roy was born July 31, 1946, in Detroit, MI, and lived there until after graduating from Highland Park high school in 1964. After exploring California and Hawaii with friends from high school, Roy decided to enlist in the U.S. Army spending three tours in Vietnam (Red Catchers, HQ 199th LIB USARPAC, HHC 1st AVN BDE (WDG 3AA) ‘Golden Hawks’), active with U.S. Army Reserve, and the National Guard (in ND, MN, TX) throughout his life until official retirement in 2006. A believer in lifelong learning, he obtained A&P mechanic licenses from Spartan School of Aeronautics (Tulsa, OK) and Kundert School of Aeronautics (Fargo, ND), a BA in Earth Science from Minot State College (Minot, ND). Roy enjoyed fishing, camping, riding tractors, RV’ing, driving bus to help firefighters fight forest fires, attending church as a member of First Baptist Church in Bottineau, ND, listening to Heaven 88.7 radio a ministry of Fargo Baptist Church, and volunteering at numerous places including the VFW in Bottineau, ND. Roy met Kathryn, his wife of over 51 years and nurse. After meeting on her family’s farm in Maxbass, ND, the two eloped in Tulsa, OK. During Roy’s adventurous life, with Kathryn by his side, they traveled across the United States and internationally, for both work and pleasure. Roy is survived by his wife Kathryn Wakefield (Tengesdal), and two children, a daughter Joey Wakefield, Chandler, AZ, a son Samuel Wakefield, Fargo, ND; and two grandchildren, granddaughter, Tiegen Wakefield of Fargo, ND, and grandson, Cullen Wakefield of Fargo, ND. He is also survived by: step-sister, Sandra Allen of Livonia, MI; half-sister, Bonnie Wakefield-Williamson of IA; half-sister, Caroleanne DeGroot (Gherke) of Inver Grove Heights, MN; half-brother, Mark Sizemore of Virginia Beach, VA; half-brother, Jeffrey Gutierrez of Clinton Township, MI; half-brother, Jody Kerr of Roscommon, MI. ...along with multiple nieces, nephews, and cousins. Roy was preceded in death by: father Roy Wakefield, Detroit, MI; step-mother Ruth Wakefield, Detroit, MI; mother Noel Baker (Wiercinski), MI; half-brother Donald Gherke, MI; father-in-law Roy Tengesdal, Maxbass, ND; mother-in-law Ardith Tengesdal (Steen), Maxbass, ND. Visitation for Roy will be at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo on Wednesday, October 7 at 12:30pm. The funeral will be held immediately following at the visitation at the Fargo National Veterans Cemetery at 2:00pm.