In Remembrance

Remembering Dennis Landowski 07-30-1941 to 03-04-2025

Dennis Landowski’s life was a rich tapestry woven with love, adventure, and creativity, all beginning and ending in their beloved town of Sandstone. It was there that he married an Askov girl named Ingrid Bie in 1964, sparking a partnership that would last for fifty-eight beautiful years. Dennis loved his wife and his two sons, crafting a family rooted in love and laughter. His first born remembers when he was really young moving to their new house, his dad painted a big heart on the wall for his mom. He also remembers that his father worked hard doing three jobs to support the family. He was a mechanic, a Kawasaki motorcycle store owner and a tow truck operator. He would often be gone during the worst snowstorms helping others by pulling people’s vehicles out of the snow and getting their cars working. In Sandstone, Dennis enjoyed fishing and was an expert marksman. His first born remembers his dad taking him out on the lake fishing using canned corn as bait catching 100 fish during one boating trip. His father taught people hunter safety and marksmanship in the community.

In 1972 to find better opportunities, Dennis and Ingrid embarked on a new adventure with their sons, relocating to Newberg, Oregon, where uncertainty loomed. Yet, their determination shone brightly as they settled into their new home. Dennis dedicated himself to the community, volunteering with the Newberg Police Reserves going on patrols, taught marksmanship, and made bullets for the police department shooting practice. He embraced outdoor pursuits like skiing on Mount Hood, and fishing for steelhead but never had much luck fishing outside of Minnesota. Dennis always had a love for cars often stopping to see what was available. One special project he had was restoring an Italian Alfa Romero convertible bringing it back to excellent condition. His youngest son remembers working on an extensive restoration of a 1974 Jensen-Healey with his Dad, that they painted Ferrari Red. He also enjoyed hosting family holidays, keeping his yard super neat, traveling the states by car, going camping, computers, tinkering and fixing things. His professional journey led him from a mechanic to becoming a welder at Peerless Trailer. In 1983, the family moved to Seattle for a job promotion with Pacific Utility Equipment where he thrived as a service manager and CAD designer. Retirement in 2004 opened new avenues. They decided to move back to Newberg to a retirement community. They loved potlucks, Pinochle games, and Dennis enjoyed playing golf with his friends. Retirement allowed for creativity, particularly in quilting. Dennis supported his wife’s hobby which transformed this into a shared passion, contributing quilts to those in need and participating in quilt shows across states.

In 2015, they decided to return to Sandstone for their final years in a house they loved located above the Kettle River. Dennis proposed to his wife by this river. They returned to their beginnings to live out their final years. In 2020, their youngest son Tom and his wife Cathi moved to Sandstone to be near them and during Covid they made wonderful memories of cooking and playing cards together. Dennis was heartbroken when Ingrid passed away in May 2023. He’s survived by his son James and his wife Laurie, and his son Thomas and his wife Cathi. He was also a loving grandfather to Nicole (Matt), and a great grandfather to Maxwell. He was also a loving grandfather to Timothy (Kelly). He was a loving brother to Lois Lapp.

His life was filled with wonderful memories and deep connections, and those memories will be cherished by his friends and family. He will be laid to rest with Ingrid in a private family ceremony and will be missed.