Herman Joseph Tonn, Jr, 86, Minot, formerly of Fargo, died Saturday, September 27, 2025, in his home.
Herman was born on September 26, 1939, to Herman Tonn, Sr and Agnes Larocque. They lived in the small town of St John near the Canadian border where over half the population is Native American, including Herman’s father. He lived there with his parents attending the community school to end of his 8th grade year. At that point, he went to work as farm labor near his home. At the age of 17, Herman left home, going out on his own working odd jobs that he found.
We all know that life has its ups and downs, well Herman had more downs than ups. He began drinking at an early age out of boredom. Both of his parents passed away, each having heart attacks, and Herman wasn’t close to his half-brother, so he lacked the support system needed to beat the bottle. That didn’t stop him from trying though. In December 1988, after 224 attempts, and years in and out of facilities, Herman beat the bottle and stayed sober until his passing. Then came the cancer. And this he beat as well.
Herman’s wish was to save up enough to have his own apartment, which he was able to do. He settled in Fargo, where he was assisted by Community Living Services with daily care, meals on wheels, financial guidance and doctor appointments. On August 31, 2024, Herman fell and although he was not hurt, he just wasn’t himself. Herman was transferred to Sanford Medical Center and remained there until he was placed with Kalix, arriving at the 330 building on January 10, 2025. The first month was rocky as he got to know the staff, and they got to know him. They found that he loved Coca Cola, Reese’s peanut butter cups, cheeseburgers, old time western shows or movies, and country music. The staff worked with him to regain his strength by walking around a little bit each day, eating enough food, and keeping hydrated. There were days when he was helpful and days when he just wasn’t.
Although the staff were able to be with him during his last months, they didn’t know much about his past but will have fond memories of his many stories. His gray/blue eyes would light up and his face would soften as he talked about traveling to South Dakota, living in Fargo, and whose cooking was better. Herman will be missed by all who shared in his life.
Funeral Service: 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 2, 2025 at Thomas Family Funeral Home Chapel, Minot.
Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot
Visitation: Thursday, one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
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