Delmer Schlenker

Delmer Schlenker passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on August 2, 2024. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at First Lutheran Church in Mandan with Pastor Andy Early presiding. Burial will follow at Mandan Union Cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, August 6 from 5-7 PM at Weigel Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service on Wednesday.

Delmer was born November 20, 1956 in Jamestown, ND to Leland and VerDella Schlenker. The family moved to Mandan in 1961 where he attended school and graduated from Mandan High in 1975. He attended Bismarck Junior College and began his employment for USDA-Agricultural Research Service as a soils technician and stayed there 37 years. He loved ag research and never passed up the chance to visit with farmers and others in the industry.

He enjoyed teaching and coaching shooting sports and after coaching a national champion in Mandan, was invited to the Olympic training center to coach for a week.

From a young age Delmer liked horses, but it wasn’t until the late 1970’s that he bought his first horse. He raised and showed quarter horses for many years. Delmer was a long-time Morton County 4-H leader and taught horsemanship to hundreds of young people. In recent years he was teaching the children of his former students. He enjoyed seeing them improve their riding skills.

Delmer also had a passion for deer hunting. He couldn’t wait to meet to visit and eat homemade caramel rolls before the hunt.

In 1989 he met Linda Schuler. They shared a love of horses, dogs and cats, and since retirement spent most of their days at the barn. They planned on traveling regularly and did see Alaska last year.

Delmer had lots of friends and enjoyed visiting with all of them. He will be missed by many.

He is survived by his significant other, Linda Schuler, his sister and brother-in-law Patty & Mark Berreth, three nephews, Cole (Trish) Berreth, Blake (Emily) Berreth, Brandon (Jenna) Berreth, six great nieces and nephews, Linda’s brothers Richard Schuler and Gary Schuler, nieces and nephews Kelly Schuler, Sheri Schuler, Janel (Kasey) Welch, Jennifer (Andrew Amundson) Schuler, Casey (Dani) Schuler, Morgan (Kelly Elton) Schuler, and Alex (Tessa) Schuler; and Linda’s four great nieces and nephews.

Delmer was preceded in death by his parents, Leland and VerDella Schlenker; Linda’s parents, Herbert and Ella Schuler and Linda’s brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Mary Schuler.