Ivan E. “Bill” DeLong, 78, 1316 Tuxedo Road, Minot, died Wednesday, August 23, 2006, in a Minot Hospital.

Bill was born on November 9, 1927, at Walt Hill, Nebraska, to Winfield Scott and Lula (Swecker) DeLong.  He was raised in Willow Springs, Mo. and entered into active duty service with the U.S. Army during World War II as a paratrooper.

Bill came to ND with a combining/crop spraying crew in 1948.  On June 20, 1949, he united in marriage to Coral Hahn at the Zion Lutheran Church in Gardena, ND.  They made their home in Minot where Bill worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Company as a salesman, and later transferred to Aberdeen, SD, as the store manager.  They returned to Minot, where he owned and operated the Mobile Gas Station that was located on the corner of S. Main Street and what is now Burdick Expressway.  Bill became the Bardahl distributor for western ND and also farmed with his father-in-law for a few years.  In semi-retirement he worked part time for the Minot Daily News.

 Bill was a charter member and helped to get the NoDak Race Club started. He built, drove and sponsored many race cars throughout the years.  He served as the announcer for the NoDak Speedway races for many years and was inducted into the Nodak Speedway Hall of Fame on August 9, 1987.

Bill and Coral were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, the Elks, Eagles, American Legion, VFW, and the Moose Lodge, all Minot.  Bill loved to hunt and fish and was an avid Minnesota Twins fan.

His loving family includes: wife of 57 years, Coral; Children: Val (Frank) Bruels, Minot, Linda (Ron) Olson, Lake Pleasant, AZ, Gregory (Carol) DeLong, Cave Creek, AZ, and Camille DeLong, El Mirage, AZ; Seven Grandchildren and one Great Grandchild.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, daughter: Cynthia and brother: Stanford.

Funeral service; Monday, August 28, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Minot.
Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.
Visitation: Sunday from noon - 5:00 p.m. in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot. Memorials are preferred to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Minot, the American Heart Association or Second Story.

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