Gary Halmrast

Gary Elmer Halmrast passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, in South Dakota while he was there for his work as a trucker. In recent years, Gary has hauled loads for local companies, but prior to that, Gary enjoyed driving across country for 40+ years and traveled the USA for his work, often visiting family members along the way, sometimes delivering out West to Colorado and even beyond that to Washington, and also out east to New Jersey. His favorite route used to be south to Texas. Gary was always a kind gentleman and will be greatly missed by his many friends and family members.

Gary was born on October 1, 1948, to Lilly and Gerhard Halmrast in Breckenridge, Minnesota. Gary grew up on a farm in DeLamere, North Dakota and attended school in DeLamere until high school. Gary truly enjoyed his four years at Oak Grove High School in Fargo, North Dakota, and especially excelled at football and wrestling. After high school, he took classes at both Valley City State College and finished college at Moorhead State University in Moorhead, MN, where he studied business and physical education. After college, Gary worked for Melrose Bobcat and later Steiger until he finally decided to start trucking. Gary enjoyed hunting and fishing as well as working on leather crafts and both reading books on history and listening to historical novels.

Gary married Rose Schroeder on June 26, 2005, in Fargo, North Dakota. Gary leaves behind his wife Rose and several step-children and step-grandchildren, six step-great grandchildren and his mother-in-law DeVone Jokstad. Gary will be deeply missed by his brothers, Lynn Halmrast (Rae), Dale Halmrast (Collette), and his sister Sonja Knutson (Paul). He also had many nieces, nephews, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, and his brother Timothy Bjorn Halmrast. Along with his father-in-law Cal Jokstead, and his two brothers-in-law.

The memorial service for Gary Halmrast will be on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 11:00 am at Triumph Lutheran Brethren in Moorhead, Minnesota, with a visitation one hour prior.