Herbert Lundin passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025, at the McKenzie County Hospital in Watford City, ND.

Born August 27, 1953, in Williston, Herb was the only child of Herbert and Esther Lundin. He spent much of his youth on the ranch, helping his dad at Lundin Drug, traveling, hunting, fishing, boating and getting into mischief with friends and cousins. He graduated from WCHS in 1971 and attended college at UND in Grand Forks. In his early adult years, he loved going to concerts, mostly rock bands like Led Zeppelin and the Eagles. He married Susie Havelka on June 8, 1979, and they welcomed their son Christopher in October of that year. Their daughter Lori was born 3 years later in October of 1982.

While at UND Herb took up an interest in hockey which developed into an obsession. He taught himself to skate and started making his own skating rink at the ranch. When a hockey club was formed in Watford the Lundin family went all-in. Herb coached for both kids’ teams over the years, drew up bracket posters, crafted many awards for players and made a model of a building for donations when the club was raising money to build an indoor rink. Herb was very skilled when it came to woodworking, making toys, gifts, helpful tools and even furniture. Herb was also an avid New York Rangers Fan. If the Rangers were playing you would find him on the edge of his chair swaying back and forth with the play and yelling/cheering at the TV.

In 1976 Herb took over the Lundin Ranch and lived the life of a rancher; feeding cows in the winter; busy months of calving and farming in the spring; fencing, haying and combining in the summer and fall. A very special spotted longhorn cow named “Moby Dick” was born to the herd in the late 70s, and from that one cow came many more colorful offspring. In the early 2000s the ranching business was cut-back but Herb’s beloved spotted cows remained. 40+ years later the herd still welcomes new spotted calves every spring.

More than anything Herb enjoyed spending time with his kids and grandkids. Whether it was doing stuff around the ranch, going on hockey trips, family vacations, watching movies, hunting, playing pool, a good card game or family gatherings he always wanted more time with them. Anytime he needed to go out of town he would ask the kids, “Who wants to be my chauffer?” Those road trips were always filled with good times, classic guitar music, good food and occasionally someone pointing at him and saying, “It’s ZZ Top!” due to his signature long beard. Another thing Herb was well known for were his big German Shepherd dogs. In the last 45 years there was never a time they weren’t by his side at the ranch.

Early in 2023 Herb became ill and was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a hard battle, with many trips to Bismarck and Dickinson for treatments and doctor visits. When Watford opened a cancer center, it was a great relief to Herb and his family to have fewer hours on the road. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations are made to the Benefit Fund of McKenzie Health's Cancer Center Capital Campaign in Herb’s name.

The Lundin Family would like to extend their deepest thanks to the staff at the Sanford Cancer Centers in Bismarck, Dickinson and Watford City, the Good Shepherd Home and the McKenzie County Hospital.

Herb was preceded in death by his parents, family friends the Kennedys, cousin David Westine, and honorary family member Vernon Ericson.

Herb is survived by his wife, Susie; kids Chris (Amy) Lundin and Lori (Matt) Schettler; grandchildren Maddy (Chris) McDaniel, Lucy and Henry Lundin, Cole and Owen Schettler; great grandchildren Scarlette and Violette; honorary grandson Tim Wolfe; close friends Jeff and Beth Molland; and numerous extended family members.

Memorial Contribution