FARGO (KFGO-AM) -- Hundreds of people paid their final respects to Mayor Dennis Walaker during his funeral service Sun. morning.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple and US Sens. Hoeven and Heitkamp were among those who eulogized Walaker during his funeral service at Reineke Fine Arts Center on the campus of North Dakota State University. His flower-drapped casket was escorted onto the stage by a police and fire department honor guard.
Walaker, who died Tues. at age 73, was referred to as kind and big hearted by Gov. Dalrymple. He said Walaker will be remembered as a true North Dakota legend. Sen. Hoeven said Walaker was honest and kind with a gruff demeanor, but he was a "teddy bear" underneath it all.
Walaker had begun his third term was mayor last June. he disclosed in August that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Before he was elected in 2006, Walaker served as the Director of Operations for the city's Public Works Dept. and saw the city through the significant floods of 1997 and 2009.
He leaves behind his wife, Mary, two grown daughters and two grandchildren.