Gerald “Red” Hambrick, 82, Mandan, died unexpectedly on April 7, 2015 at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck.

A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Friday, April 10, 2015 at First Lutheran Church, Mandan, with Reverend Lee Herberg officiating. Burial will be at 1 pm on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Carrington City Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan, with a prayer service at 7 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Red was born December 27, 1932 in Carrington, the third son to Roy and Ida (Hanson) Hambrick. Raised and educated in Carrington, he always enjoyed going to the shop his Dad worked at and sitting in the vehicles pretending to drive. On Sunday’s his dad would borrow a friend’s car and take his family driving and sightseeing. His father died when Red was 11 years old. Hardworking from a young age, Red worked at several neighbors farms. He also enjoyed helping his Uncle Martin haul coal with teams of horses. At age 16 Red started driving semi for Clark Truck Line, beginning a career he’d love all of his life. In 1950 he enlisted in the US Navy and served during the Korean War on the USS Yosemite. He returned to Carrington in 1953 and continued driving truck. He loved long haul trucking and was proud to have driven truck in 49 of the 50 states. In July 1970 Red hurt his neck diving. He met a nurse, Virginia Knodel, while in the hospital and kept trying to hold her hand. On December 27, 1970 that nurse became his bride. They made their home in Carrington where Red continued driving truck and they also started a family. In 1973 they moved to Minot where Red drove and dispatched 7 semis. He later worked for Twin City Freight in Harvey and was transferred to Mandan in 1982. Red and Virginia made their home west of Mandan. Red worked for himself numerous times over the years and also for Jim Ressler Trucking. Retiring from trucking in 2012 he then worked for PTI hauling railroad crews to their worksites. Red was a stranger to no one and a friend to many. He loved having coffee and visiting with friends at the truck stop. When his family was young they enjoyed trips to Medora, camping, and the times they accompanied their Dad in the semi. Travel, whether for work or pleasure was one of Red’s favorite things. A fun loving man, Red’s wonderful huge laugh will forever be treasured and missed by those who knew and loved him.

Blessed to have shared his life is his wife of 44 years, Virginia Hambrick, Mandan; four children, Dennis Hambrick, Mandan, Tammy (Larry) Krein, Bismarck, Chris (Roberta) Hambrick, Bismarck, and Jean Hambrick, Carson; three grandchildren, Joseph Andrew Keller, Jase Ryan Schyma, and Theodore Roger Hambrick; a half-sister, Mary Kloubec, Mexico; a sister-in-law, Genevieve Klein, Fargo; numerous nieces and nephews; extended family of Robin and Daryl Jundt; and his countless friends and truck stop buddies.

Red was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, George (Betty), Percy, and Ronald (Shirley); and son-in-law, Ronald Keller.