Rest in Peace, Dennis Walaker

Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Mayor Walaker’s family, friends, and colleagues

Sometimes, what’s ordinary can be extraordinary. That’s how we saw Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker, as an ordinary guy, a people person. After a brief and public battle with cancer, his death Tuesday night rocked the city.

We have absolutely no doubt that Denny Walaker would not be comfortable at all with the wave of accolades and kudos directed at him right now. On the surface, he was your typical run-of-the-mill kind of guy. When he spoke, he was to the point and frank. At times he could almost come off as gruff, but the truth is he had no airs about him, no pretentions, no gimmicks. He was not one for much fuss.

The people trusted Denny. He served them for decades and when he was mayor he led a people’s movement that saved the city from the 2009 flood, rather than abandoning ship and evacuating the city as the feds suggested. He knew if the people retreated, the flood waters would win. He also knew it could be done. Bear in mind, the orders were already placed to turn both Interstate lanes going west into evacuation routes.

Denny was the ultimate flood fighter. After heading the public works department for years, he also knew to surround himself with bright people. The world watched as the people of Fargo heeded our mayor’s call to action and to stave off historic flood levels. We trusted him. Under his direction, the people won.

Protecting the city and people from future inundations then became Denny’s focus. The FM Diversion is a vision he championed. Others have suggested it be named “Denny’s Ditch.” We agree.

One time, when a Fargo family grieved the death of a teenage daughter in a car accident, Fargo’s mayor went public and said that the pothole in the road caused the accident and that it was tragic. While we doubt any legal team advised the mayor to make such a pronouncement, there was no question it was from his heart and it was honest. One more time, he stood tall in the eyes of the public.

When Denny first ran for mayor, the ballot was full of candidates. Of course, he swept to victory. And he spent hardly any money to get that public vote. The people already knew and trusted him.

He was reputed to be blunt and to the point, but not disrespectfully so. If the mayor had an opinion, he shared it. Yet he was not a man of many words. Nor was he flowery and pandering in any way. He was what he was. He said what he needed to say. He did so for the people, plain and simple. 

Essentially, our mayor worked his part-time job full time. He was everywhere. Ribbon cuttings. Grand openings. Award presentations. Public events. Neighborhood get-togethers. School functions. Especially Bison football.

People will never shake their images of their steadfast mayor walking dikes inches from breaching. They will always see him standing tall in the face of federal recommendations to evacuate the city. They will always recall his spring flood forecasts after taking his tour of the southern flood basin. They will forever remember a humble, ordinary person who spoke the language of the people, who led the people.

In the recent June election, the race for mayor was a contest between Denny and Brad Wimmer. Despite the fact that cancer diagnosis was not forthcoming for a few months, people could see that the mayor was looking frailer. Whether or not he should have retired at the top of his game was a moot point: he ran for reelection and won handily.

Now, down the road a ways, Fargo grieves the loss of the mayor they love and respect. Denny did finish at the top of his game, make no mistake about it. 

Our most sincere and heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Mayor Walaker’s family, friends, and colleagues at the helm of our fine city. The people have lost their leader.