DENNIS PANKONIN

Dennis Lowell Pankonin, of Ogilvie, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2025, in Mora, MN.  He was 76 years old.

Dennis was born in Minneapolis, MN on July 20, 1949, the second of four children born to Lowell and Madonna (Balling) Pankonin.  Dennis’ early years were spent in Nowthen and St. Francis on a farm.  After Dennis finished his 10th grade year, he decided he wanted to work with his dad and uncle who owned Heron Lake Auto Salvage.  This is where Dennis fell in love with cars—repairing, painting, customizing, and really learning what made them tick.  The couple of years he worked there would serve him well with his lifelong passion for cars.

In 1969, Dennis received his Army draft notice and reported for duty in Fort Lewis, WA.  After basic training, he was sent for advance infantry training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX where he would become an Army Medic.   He arrived in Vietnam a couple of weeks before his 19th birthday and received orders for II Corp in the central highlands attached to the 18th Engineers-C company of the 577th.  This is where he spent his entire tour of duty.  He summed up the experience by saying, “I survived it, I endured it, but I wouldn’t recommend it, period!”.

After his discharge, he lived and worked in California and then in Iceland where he got a job as their “American Car Tune-up Specialist”.  He learned to speak passable Icelandic by reading the newspaper and hanging out with other mechanics.

Dennis moved back to Minnesota where he met and married Debra Bankers in 1976.  They were blessed with three children from this union.   They later divorced in 1990.  During this time Dennis discovered coon hunting and was hooked for the next 30 years.   He won the first ever MN Governors Cup with his female English Red-tick hound named Dixie and was invited to the state capital to receive his trophy and met then Governor Rudy Perpich. 

As the children were being raised, Dennis worked for several different companies but eventually was hired on by Lakes and Pines on the weatherization crew.  He was the union steward for many years.

Dennis always had a project going in his shop; motorcycles, trucks and cars.  He even built a dump truck from the inner workings of an elevator he salvaged from a church.  His proudest accomplishment was a 1931 Chevy Coupe he built from the frame up and made into a street rod.

Besides Dennis’ love of cars and dogs, her also enjoyed hunting goose, duck, pheasants, bears, but white-tailed deer hunting was the ultimate.  He loved bow and rifle hunting and when his sons were old enough, he taught them the skills to have a successful hunt, and it was something they shared for years together. 

In 1991, Dennis met Linda Fischer and they were married on September 24, 1994.  Together they raised his youngest son Garey until he graduated in 2003.

Dennis was a good friend, dad, brother, and son.  He had a good relationship with the Lord which sustained him when his health began to fail.  He is now at peace in the arms of his savior where he rightfully belongs.  He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Dennis is preceded in death by his parents; nephew Scott Sutherland; niece Deana Pankonin.

He is survived by his wife Linda; children, Gabriel (Danielle) Pankonin, Rebecca (Chad) Baumann, and Garey Pankonin; grandchildren, Alexis, Therian, Chad Jr, Daniel, Olivia, Coralee, Vivian, and James; brother Roger (Phyllis) Pankonin; sisters, Eileen (Duane) Carlson and Peggy (Keith) Duncan; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A Gathering of Family & Friends will be held from 3:00 – 5:00 pm on Friday, January 2, 2026, at the Hamilton Funeral Homes – Akkerman Chapel in Mora.

A Private Burial with Military Honors will be held at a later date in the Red Rock Cemetery in Jeffers, Minnesota.

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