July 3, 2012

Larry Gaudreau

Longtime Williston resident, Larry Gaudreau, 77, died peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family, on Sunday morning, June 24, 2012.
His funeral services were held on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at the First Lutheran Church in Williston. Rev. Martin Mock officiated and interment was at the Riverview Cemetery in Williston.
Larry Arthur Gaudreau was born July 9, 1934, in Williston, N.D., to Reuben and Mabel (Tone) Gaudreau. He was one of two Gaudreau children, including his beloved sister, Pat.
In 1955, Larry married the love of his live, Mary Ann (Arnson), and they raised five wonderful children. Larry was a longtime businessman in the Williston community. His first business venture was operating Texaco and Mobil service stations in town. He later sold the service station business and was Service Manager for Reep Motors for a number of years. He then started a full-service auto repair shop in downtown Williston, which he later sold and purchased the Kleen Kar Wash on 18th Street, which he owned and operated for 26 years. In addition to the car wash, Larry ran numerous businesses, including Dakota Car Sales and Rentals, Sunflower Sign Rentals, Conklin Distributing and a snowplow service.
Larry was the ultimate entrepreneur. He always greeted his loyal customers with a smile and went out of his way to provide the highest level of service in everything he did. Larry loved Williston and promoted the city and everything the region offered whenever he could, especially to his customers from out of town. He was very active in the community, including chairing the Williston Clean City Committee for years and the Williston Lions Club. During his tenure with the Lions Club, he was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow award for dedicated humanitarian service.
God and family were the most important things in Larry’s life. He was an active member of the First Lutheran Church and served on the property committee. When he wasn’t working, he loved spending time with his children and grandchildren at Paradise Point, where he enjoyed golfing, boating, jet skiing and tinkering with all of his “mechanical wonders.” Larry was also quite the car buff and owned numerous antique cars and trucks. In fact, he and his friend, Jim Flory, were instrumental in bringing dirt track racing to Williston. He was also an active member of the Williston Classic Car Club and enjoyed traveling and participating in many regional car shows, including his last show in Glendive, Mont., with longtime friends, Tom Neubauer and Morrill Hirsch, the day before he passed. Before he left, he told us all that if he didn’t make it back, “there was no better place to die than at a car show.”
Larry is survived by his wife, Marry Ann Gaudreau; his five children, Tim (Stacey) Gaudreau, of Casper, Wyo., and their two children, Kirsten and Cullen; Terry (Lindsay) Gaudreau, of Williston, N.D., and their son, Landon; Tammy (Kevin) Watterson, of Williston, N.D. and their three daughters, Tara (her husband, Gabe, and daughter, Olivia); Jaime and Morgan; Todd Gaudreau, of Williston, N.D., and Tom (Renee) Gaudreau, of Nashville, Tenn., and their two daughters, Rosemary and Amelia; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Larry was preceeded in death by his parents; sister, Pat Brown and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER