Larry Lepird

   Larry Lepird, age 90, former resident of West Fargo, died peacefully in his sleep on April 15, 2026, at HIA Heather’s House in Fargo, ND. He leaves behind a legacy of hard work, generosity, and love of family. His sense of humor and laughter will be missed.

   Larry Jay Lepird was born on January 6, 1936, in Fargo, ND to L.R. and Irma (Magnuson) Lepird. He spent his early years in Fargo and attended St. Mary’s through the sixth grade after which the family moved to Mesa, Arizona. He would return to North Dakota before his junior year of high school to help on his sister Betty’s farm north of West Fargo. He graduated from West Fargo High in 1955 as a letter winner in four different sports and set West Fargo’s Class B scoring record in basketball for most points in a game, scoring 37 points. He went on to attend NDSU for several years and joined the freshman basketball team there. On December 21, 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, Andrea Walburg. They would raise their family in West Fargo. Theirs was a 63-year union before Andrea’s death in 2021.

   Larry was hard working and learned the value of a dollar at a young age. His first paying job as a young boy was picking berries at NDSU and selling concessions at F-M Twins games. In Mesa, he would pick fruit in the orchards and cotton in the cotton fields. As soon as he was old enough to get a driver’s license, he purchased a truck and began a yard business in Mesa. After the Fargo tornado in 1957, he was hired to do painting by a family friend and local contractor. This contractor would encourage Larry to start his own painting business. When drywall became available, he became one of the first drywall contractors in the F-M area with his business being called Lepird Drywall and Decorating. He retired after nearly 40 years in business. He was proud that many of his former drywallers, as well as his grandson, were able to successfully start their own drywall businesses.

   Larry was a businessman in West Fargo owning many rental properties over the years and started a retail business called Lepird Home Decorating. He served as a West Fargo city commissioner from 1992-1996. After that he retired, sold his home in West Fargo, and the couple moved to Mesa, Arizona. They spent their summers at the family lake home on Lake Lizzie near Pelican Rapids. Larry enjoyed family time at the lake teaching his kids how to water ski, jet ski, snowmobile, and fish. He continued the tradition of entertaining grandkids, great-grandkids, and extended family throughout the fifty years he owned it. He was the quintessential grandfather who listened to, laughed with, and loved his grandchildren with all his heart. While at Lake Lizzie, Larry became part of the round table breakfast group at the Cornfield Café sharing his wisdom and humor, as well as making many new friends. Larry felt he was the luckiest man alive to have shared 25 years of retirement with his wife. They enjoyed traveling the country and taking cruises. After Andrea’s death, he moved to Lisbon, ND to live with his daughter and son-in-law. The past 6 months his residency was the Beverly Anne Assisted Living in Lisbon.

   Larry was preceded in death by his wife; granddaughter Amy Finstad; parents; one brother Lt. Jack Lepird; five sisters Betty (Ralph) Kvamme, Carole (Fred) Kvamme, Joy (Arne) Otterson, Kay (Ray) Fields, and infant sister Gloria. He leaves behind one daughter Lorie (John) Finstad of Lisbon, ND; three sons, Jack (Gloria) of Tempe, AZ, Kurt (Shawna) and Matt (Jessica) both of West Fargo; 8 grandchildren, Jill (Jeromy) Krueger, Katie (Kyle) Geske, Anthony (Ashley) Finstad, Levi Lepird, Paige Johnson, Isaac, Sophia and Anna Lepird; 8 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.

   In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to HIA Hospice or a charity of the giver’s choice.

   Memorial Service: Monday, May 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., West Funeral Home, West Fargo, ND, with visitation one hour prior to the service.

   Interment: St. John Cemetery - Rural Embden, ND.

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