William (Bill) E. Eisenbarth, 91, New Leipzig, died July 18, 2008, at St. Alexius Hospital.


The Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. MT Friday, July 25, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Leipzig with the Rev. John Amundson officiating. Burial will be at 3:00 p.m. CT in North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan with full military honors provided by the Baesler-Achtenberg American Legion Post #211 of New Leipzig and the Mandan VFW 707.


Serving as casketbearers are Tammy Adams, Luke Adams, Brandon Gillette, Joanna Gillette, Ryan Gillette, Erica Gillette, Allison Hicks, and Chris Hicks. All friends and relatives are considered honorary bearers.


Bill was born May 12, 1917 at Fleak, ND to Edward and Rachel (Boettcher) Eisenbarth. He was raised on the family farm south of New Leipzig. He graduated from Elgin High School and attended Dickinson State College. In 1941, he was called into the U.S. Army to serve our country during World War II. He served four years with Company D, 82nd Reconnaissance Battalion, Second Armored Division under General George S. Patton. He participated in every African, Middle Eastern, and European campaign, including the landing at Normandy Beach and the Battle of the Bulge. At age 89, he wrote and published a book, an unforgettable story, about his experiences called My Lonely Walk Through Hell, A Soldier's View of World War II.


He attended Capital Commercial College, Bismarck, and served as bookkeeper for Russell Miller Milling Company, Mandan for several years. He owned and operated the New Leipzig grocery store and bar for a time before taking a job as District Supervisor for Red Owl Food Stores. While on the route, he met his future wife, Mary Ann Kuhn, whose father owned the Red Owl Store in Napoleon. They were married on May 6, 1954.


With a yearning to return to a life of farming, he purchased grain trucks and combines and spent the next 14 years custom harvesting along a route from Oklahoma to Canada, wintering in Rapid City, SD. During the winter months, he honed his carpenter skills while working for a building contractor and helped to build Flintstone Park, in Custer, SD. With his wife as a finishing partner, he built and sold several homes in Rapid City, SD.


In an effort to instill the values of small-town and country living, he moved his wife and two young daughters to a farm south of New Leipzig where he farmed for 13 years, and again, he built or remodeled numerous homes in the area, retiring in New Leipzig in 1979.


He enjoyed his retirement by traveling, golfing, and gardening, doing woodworking projects for his family, and by making an indelible impression on his five grandchildren.


He served on the New Leipzig School Board of Directors, Grant County Social Services Board, Grant County Election Board, was elected Grant County Tax Assessor, and has been a member of the American Legion for 50 years.


His love of life and hearty laughter will be missed by his wife of 54 years, Mary Ann; two daughters and sons-in-law, Pam and Tom Adams, Mandan, Judy and Charles Warren, Jonesboro, AR; five grandchildren, Tammy Adams and Luke Adams, both of Mandan, Allison (Chris) Hicks, Jonesboro, AR, Brandon (Joanna) Gillette, Lawrence, KS, Ryan (Erica) Gillette, Tulsa, OK; one great-grandson, Jaden Hicks, Jonesboro, AR; one sister, Irma Birdsall, New Leipzig; one sister-in-law, Stella Eisenbarth; and one brother, Henry (Evelyn), all of Elgin, ND.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Rachael Eisenbarth; three brothers, Richard, Arthur, and Otto; and one sister, Edna Gaugler.

A memorial has been established.