Roger Dean Danielson, 78, of Mentor, MN, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at Mahnomen Health Center in Mahnomen, MN.
A celebration of Roger’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Faith Lutheran Church in Mentor, with the Rev. Michael Sletto officiating. Interment with military honors provided by the Army National Guard Honors Team will follow at Faith Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are entrusted to Carlin Family Funeral Service of Erskine, and messages of condolence may be shared at carlinfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be donated to a local charity.
Born on June 13, 1947, in Fargo, ND, to Raymond and Esther (Gross) Danielson, Roger was raised in Mentor and graduated from Mentor High School. Shortly after, he answered the call to serve his country in the United States Army. As a Radioman with the First and Eighteenth Infantry Divisions during the Vietnam War, Roger’s bravery earned him the Bronze Star. He returned home in 1968 with an honorable discharge and a lifelong sense of patriotic pride.
Though his journey took him to California, Montana, and North Dakota, Roger’s heart always belonged to Mentor. He was a man of steady character and hard work, traits he demonstrated through his many years at the Shooting Star Casino, Anchor Hocking, and Anderson Seed.
A life member of the VFW, Roger found joy in the simple things: a winning Bingo card, his coin collection, and relaxing with word searches. He had a special love for the music of Willie Nelson and a good plate of Klub at the Mentor Cafe. A lifelong fan of The Price Is Right, a true highlight of Roger’s life was attending a taping with his nieces, Stephanie and Terry, and fulfilling a dream by being chosen as a contestant. Roger was best known for his legendary wit; his quick one-liners and “zingers” were the highlight of any gathering, leaving a lasting impression of laughter and warmth on everyone he met.
Roger is survived by his children: Carla (Darrell) Stafford of Montana, William Danielson of Montana, Alyssa “Betsy” (Robert) Tiedeman-Newman of Washington, and Robert Danielson of Montana; as well as 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Esther; and Roger was the last of his siblings, being preceded by Donna Grove, Barb Danielson, Jody “Stubby” Danielson, Beverly Nelson, and Lawren Danielson. He was also preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, James Grove and Courtney Nelson.
