The funeral for Elmer Bender, Wishek, ND will be Saturday August 19, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Lehr Methodist Church at Lehr, ND. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at Dahlstrom Funeral Home, Wishek, ND. Burial will be at the Lehr City Cemetery, Lehr, ND.

Elmer Clarence Bender son of Edward and Emma (Hildenbrand) Bender was born July 6, 1929 at the Bender farm 5 miles northeast of Lehr, ND. Elmer married Phyllis Heiser on March 22, 1953 at Wishek, ND. Elmer helped farm and ranch the Bender farm near Lehr, ND with his family his entire life, up to a couple of weeks before his death. They moved to Wishek, ND in 1996.

Elmer was blessed with a full life of family and friends and passed away of natural causes August 14, 2017 surrounded by family at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck, ND. He was 88 years old.

Elmer is survived by his wife of 64 years, Phyllis L. Bender, Wishek, ND; three sons, Lonnie (Delilah) Bender, Lehr, ND; Merlynn Bender, Lakewood, CO and Lavern Bender, Lehr, ND; two daughters, Jolene (Rob) Dewitz, Steele, ND and Miriam (Kelly) Masseth, West Fargo, ND; four grandchildren, Mitch Bender, Joseph Bender, Chase Dewitz and Matt Hagen; five great grandchildren, Caleb, Rylee, Thomas, Alayna Bender and Jackson Hagen; three brothers, Vernon (Darlene) Bender, Bismarck, ND, Larry Bender, Lexington, MN and Leo (Mary) Bender, Shakopee, MN, brother-in-law, Jim (Carol) Heiser, Monticello, MN. He was preceded in death by one daughter, LaRae LeAnn who died in 1956 of pneumonia. The family would like to thank the attentive staff of the Wishek retirement facility for the elderly care of Elmer and Phyllis and the kind staff of St. Alexius Medical Center for helping Elmer to pass peacefully.