Lloyd B. Omdahl

Lloyd Omdahl, 93, of Grand Forks, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus on April 14, 2024, after repeated hospitalizations.

Lloyd was born January 5, 1931 in Walsh County, ND to Lars and Hannah Omdahl, as the eighth of eleven siblings. He was raised in Conway, ND and completed high school by correspondence. He attended the University of North Dakota and graduated with a B.A. in journalism (1953), and a Master’s degree in political science (1962).

In 1954, Lloyd began his professional career by opening his advertising agency, “Lloyd’s of Bismarck,” where he realized that he loved political work more than advertising. In 1961, Governor Bill Guy asked him to serve as Director of Administration, a position he held within the Governor’s Office until he became State Tax Commissioner (1963-1966). In 1967, he joined the UND political science faculty. After two years, he was named Director of the UND Bureau of Governmental Affairs, a non-partisan research hub that served the entire state. In 1972, he served as a delegate to the North Dakota Constitutional Convention. He took leave from UND to become Director of the ND Office of Management and Budget (1975-1977). From 1977 to 1987, he returned to his much-loved faculty position in the Political Science Department at UND. From 1987 until 1992, Lloyd Omdahl was the 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota. After that, he returned to UND for two more years before retiring. He continued to teach an occasional UND class for the love of it.

For more than three decades, Lloyd wrote a weekly newspaper column that was published in nearly all the daily and weekly newspapers throughout North Dakota. He was popular on the speaking circuit, and admired for his humor. With Tourism Director Jim Fugle, he developed humorous ND billboards that garnered national attention. Governor George Sinner wrote in a letter, “Your wit remains the leaven that raises the spirits of thousands of people across the state.” Lloyd also had great compassion which led to volunteer work on many non-profit projects, such as the Grand Forks Feed My Starving Children packing event.

Lloyd married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Evangeline Jones, and they enjoyed a marriage that lasted 70 years. They had three children (Scott, 1957; Becky, 1958; and Nancy, 1966). Lloyd was a loving and supportive husband who encouraged his wife’s creative hobbies. They started “Northland Naturals” in Conway, a business that grew, processed, and sold grains and flowers for dried floral arrangements. He was a kind and loving father who nurtured spiritual growth and educational values.  He planned vacations that rivaled university-level history classes. 

Lloyd is survived by son Scott Omdahl (Fort Collins, CO), daughter Becky Omdahl (Falcon Heights, MN), and grandchildren Jeremy Mote (Smyrna, GA) and Andrew Mote (Athens, GA).

Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents and all siblings (Harris, Glen, Frances, Douglas, Grace, Dean, Donald, Lawrence, Doris, and David). His wife Ruth died in 2023, and his daughter Nancy Omdahl died in 2022.

Lloyd Omdahl was working on the Greater Grand Forks Feed My Starving Children effort to host an April 2024 "MobilePack."  The family requests that memorial donations to honor Lloyd be given to this effort (in preference to flowers), and they thank you for joining them in feeding hungry children throughout the world. For online donations:  https://give.fmsc.org/campaign/2404-015ea-grand-forks-nd-greater-grand-forks/c519975 

For a check, please write it to FMSC and put Omdahl Mem MP 2404-015ea in the memo line. Mail to Jodie Storhaug at 306 Circle Hills Drive, Grand Forks ND 58201  Event number and name is Greater Grand Forks Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack. Event number is 2404-015ea.