Dannis (Dan) Woodard

Dannis (Dan) Woodard, 82, of Mandan, passed away March 6, 2021, at Sanford Health, Bismarck.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, ND, with Rev. Phil Leer officiating. Inurnment will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. A live stream of the service can be seen on the Weigel Funeral Home website under Dan’s obituary page.

Dan was born November 1, 1938, in Billings, Montana, to Vern and Myrtle Woodard. Dan's father, Vern, worked in shipyards and ran a logging company during World War ll, so Dan spent his childhood moving up and down the Pacific Coast. This also brought his family to take residence in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Minnesota during his earlier years. Dan's mother, Myrtle, was a schoolteacher. ln the summers, when she was off work, they would spend time with his grandparents and uncles on his uncle's farm near Starbuck, Minnesota.

On January 16, 1956, Dan joined the United States Navy. While in the Navy, he served on the U.S.S. Columbus CA 74, U.S.S. Firedrake AE14, U.S.S. Taussig DD 746, and U.S.S. Towers DDG-g. Dan also served two, three-year Shore Duty Tours in lwakuni, Japan, and later in Yokusuko, Japan. While stationed in Japan, he met and married Yaeko Ninomiya, with whom he had four children, Kenny, Kathy, Kristine and Karen.

Dan retired from the Navy as an Electrician's Mate Chief Petty Officer on September 2, 1975, with 20 years of service. Dan went to work as an electrician in the shipyards in San Diego, California, and later as a Civil Service Electrician for the Navy.

Dan later moved to Montana and worked as a welder and electrician for Jacobson Construction, transferring to Bismarck, North Dakota. While working in Bismarck, he met Josephine Berger, whom he married on February 6, 1982 in Mandan, North Dakota.

ln 1986, Dan and Josie moved to Mountainview, California, where he found work as a maintenance electrician at a large ceramic and precious metals factory until he retired 12 years later in 1998.

After retirement, Dan and Josie moved back to Mandan, where they took permanent residence. Always the worker, Dan took a job as an electrical estimator at the Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota, for one year until he permanently retired.

Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Josephine Woodard, Mandan ND; his four children, Kenneth B (Lisa) Woodard, Brentwood, CA, Kathleen Woodard, Highland, CA, Kristine (Bryan) Aragon, Santa Rosa, CA, Karen Woodard, San Diego, CA; his five step-children, Robert (Dayta) Berger, Mandan, ND, Dale (Pat) Berger, Mandan, ND, Vicky Johnson, Mandan, ND, Lucas (Kelly) Berger, Mandan, ND, Peggy Berger, Mandan, ND; his brothers, Arthur (Dawn) Woodard, Haines, AK, and Terrence Woodard, Havre, MT; and many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom he loved and adored.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vern and Myrtle Woodard; and his sister, Carol (Raymond) Frey.

ln lieu of flowers, the family would like you to consider making a donation to the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery in Dan’s honor.

Dan was loved by all and will be missed dearly.