William "Bunk" Leahy

Bill spent much of his childhood on Big Cormorant Lake in Lake Park. He loved spending time on his grandparents’ farm that was homesteaded in the 1800s. They provided him with some of his most cherished childhood memories. Bill was a graduate of Fargo Central High School. He met Colleen Emerson through friendships with her brothers in Fargo. They married on January 4, 1958. They were privileged to have each other for sixty years.  Upon graduating from high school, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy for four years. He then chose to re-enlist and serve his country for an additional 20 years.  At the beginning of his Naval career, he served at the satellite tracking station in Winter Harbor, Maine. Bill then went to sea, serving on destroyers and aircraft carriers. He was most proud of serving on the USS Enterprise as a Chief Petty Officer Radarman. Shore duty took him to his final destination, Washington D.C. Upon retiring from the Navy in 1973, on his birthday, he returned home to take small engine classes at the Vo-Tech. His family moved to his grandparent’s property on Big Cormorant, where he and Colleen raised their children. He worked 27 years for the M&H gas station starting as a gas station attendant, pumping gas, washing windows and exchanging M&H stamps for glass ware at the pumps. He quickly rose up through the ranks becoming the supervisor for M&H gas stations across the Midwest. In his second retirement, he became affiliated with the Lunde Ford dealership of Detroit Lakes delivering cars and car parts. Webber Ford employed him as a courtesy driver through his last days. He loved chatting it up with the customers. Bill was an avid car enthusiast and owned many collectible cars in his lifetime. Racing was a family activity and many weekends were spent at the tracks in West Fargo and Glyndon over the years.  Bill loved being out in the garage washing his cars – they rarely ever saw a gravel road.  His other passion was football, the Green Bay Packers specifically. This affiliation led to many loud, fun filled family memories. Bill is survived by his wife Colleen Leahy of 60 years; four children: Lisa Leahy, Wanda Giese, Bill Leahy (Kristi) and Wendy Beske; ten grandchildren: Antoinette Mulcahy, Thomas Mulcahy, Savannah Giese, Samantha Amundson, Stevie Jo Elliot, Tanner Leahy, Kaci Jo Leahy, Jamon Beske, Kaden Beske, and Luca Beske; ten great grandchildren: Catrina Kincaid, Bradley Kincaid, Chelsea Mulcahy, Preslie Mulcahy, Noelia Silva, Ninel Silva, Matthew Silva, Elizabeth Balow, Brittney Balow and Emma Amundson.