Cheryl V. Brandt

Cheryl Virginia Brandt, 73, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2025, at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND. Cheryl was born the eldest of eight children to Vernon and Olive Christine (Hiller) Bennett. She was born on the family farm near Walhalla. She attended Vang Country School and graduated from Walhalla High School. After high school she attended and graduated from Aaker’s Business College in Grand Forks, ND. 

Cheryl met Sidney Brandt in 1971. She caught his eye when she had a flat tire, and he was the young man at his family’s gas station in Grand Forks to fix it! He fixed her tire and asked her out once the job was done. The rest is history! They married in June of 1972, and they raised their three children in rural Walhalla. As empty nesters, they resided in Reynolds and Grand Forks before returning to the Bennett family farm near Walhalla.

Cheryl and Sid owned the Walla Lanes Bowling Alley and Walhalla Home and Building Center, and she also worked over the years as a secretary or bookkeeper at several businesses in Walhalla and Grand Forks.

Cheryl and Sid loved to travel, especially on cruise ships, visiting places like Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe. Together they traveled across the United States and Canada. She really enjoyed the Grand Canyon and the hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque. She also enjoyed planting flowers, crafting, playing cards with Lois and Arlan, and tending to more hummingbirds than she could count. She was a lover of all animals, and owned all kinds including dogs, cats, chinchillas, ducks, geese, and rabbits, just to name a few. She was an avid Fighting Sioux hockey fan, holding season tickets for many years. Together they provided a loving home for many foster children over the years.

Cheryl was a proud grandmother to 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and infant sisters Vicki Larae and Sheila Ann.

Cheryl is survived by her loving husband of 52 years; her daughters: Angela (James Day) Brandt of Devils Lake, Julie Brandt of Grand Forks, and Stephanie (Dale) Magenau of Manvel; her grandchildren: Mackenzie (Brendan Grover) Arens, Raquel (Jon) Bucklew, Colby and Andrew Magenau; her great grandchildren: Ryder, Kainen, and Henry; siblings: Ronald (Lauri) Bennett, Sandra Bennett, Susan (Charles) Hoggarth, Lorry (Tammerina) Bennett, and Holly Bennett; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held at Walhalla Lutheran Church, Walhalla, ND on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be at time of fellowship and lunch following the service. Inurnment will take place at Vang Cemetery in the spring.