- The following obituary of Merl "Bud" Sonnek was found on the website for the Silvernale-Silha Funeral Homes in Glendive, Montana and Beach, Golden Valley County, North Dakota:
"Merl (Bud) Sonnek, age 66, formerly of Beach, died , Saturday, May 3, 2003, in Show Low, Arizona. "A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, July 31, 2003 at 2:00 P.M. at St. John`s the Baptist Catholic Church in Beach, North Dakota with Rev. Fr. David Richter officiating. Interment will follow at St. John`s Cemetery in Beach. "Merl (Bud) Sonnek was born on November 29, 1937, in Beach, North Dakota, the son of Robert and Helen Sonnek. He attended the Alpha School until the fourth grade at which time his family moved to Beach. He married Gayle Stecker in 1959 and they had two sons, Barry and Jerry. Bud worked at the post office in Beach and also with his parents at Bob`s Lanes, where he managed the bowling alley for 20 years. Bud left Beach in 1977 when he was appointed Postmaster at the Plummer, Minnesota post office. He subsequently was Postmaster in Edgemont, Lemmon, Custer and Pierre, South Dakota. While in South Dakota, he spent time as acting director of the post office in Rapid City, and as supervisor in Mobridge, Spearfish, Sturgis and Deadwood. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1999. "Bud enjoyed sports and was an avid golfer and bowler. One of the things he enjoyed most was coaching the Babe Ruth baseball team in Beach. He coached for five years, and four of his teams advanced to the state tournament. "Bud and Gayle moved from Pierre to Show Low, Arizona following his retirement. Never one to sit still, he then was employed at Joy`s Furniture Gallery. "He was preceded in death by his mother and father. "He is survived by his wife, Gayle; his two sons, Barry of Dana Point, California and Jerry of York, Nebraska; three brothers, Kenneth of Livingston, Montana, Maurice of Sparks, Nevada and Karnes of Kalispell, Montana; one sister Sharon Carney of Rockville, Maryland. He was also grandpa to two grandchildren, Erin and Nikki and one great-grandchild Chloe. "In a community profile while postmaster in Pierre, South Dakota, one question Bud was asked was: `At my funeral I hope people say`: his response was `He was OK`. Indeed you were Bud."
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1937 - 2003 (65 years)
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