Rodney Allen Tonnessen, the son of Kenneth and Mary Kay (Lueck) Tonnessen was born on September 1, 1956 in Rugby, North Dakota.  He died at the age of 56 years on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at his ranch in Denbigh, North Dakota from injuries suffered in an ATV accident while doing what he loved . . . ranching.

Rodney was raised in the rural Denbigh home of his parents and attended the White Rock School until the 8^th grade.  He completed his education at Towner High School, where he was very active in F.F.A., graduating from there in 1974.  Following high school, Rodney worked on various ranches, including the Gerald and Allan Genetzky ranches, the Edward’s Ranch, the Eaton Ranch and for David & Vera Fairbrother Farms.  He also worked for Bechtold Excavating and the ND Highway Department.  On June 9, 1978, he was united in marriage to Jaclyn “Jacki” Anfinson at the Norway Lutheran Church in rural Denbigh.  The couple have made their home, ranched and raised their family in the Denbigh/Towner area.  Family was the most important part of his life, dearly loving his inseparable partner, Jacki and extremely proud of his children.   A special blessing to him was being called “Papa” by Gracyn Kay and Koy Levi.

He was a member of the ND Stockmen’s Association, the Towner Ranchers Scale Association, the Badlands Professional Bullriders Association, the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the North Dakota Ranch Horse Association and Zion Lutheran Church.  He had a great passion for horses and Bucking Bulls.

Survivors include his wife, Jaclyn; daughter Tasha (Levi) Johnson and son, Tanner, all of Towner; grandchildren, Gracyn and Koy Johnson; father, Kenneth Tonnessen (Bev Lynch) of Towner; brothers, Terry (Pam) of Towner and Scott (Jeanne) of Kerrville, Texas; sister, Karen (Randy) Jensen of Soldotna, Alaska; brothers-in-law, Dr. C.M. Smith of Minot and Chester (Marti) Anfinson of Casper, Wyoming; sisters-in-law, Jeanette (Bob) Brothers of Minot and Judy Leggett of Independence, Missouri; aunts, uncles, numerous nieces, nephews; other relatives and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Kay; father and mother-in-law, Chester and Stella Anfinson; a sister-in-law, Janice Smith; and his grandparents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 24^th at Zion Lutheran Church in Towner with burial in the Granville Community Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.  Mr. Wally Fretland and Pastor Linda Wimmer, officiating.

Visitation will be from 2 until 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Towner.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church on Monday