Lonnie J. Dwinell

Chambers — Lonnie John Dwinell, 77, of Chambers, died Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 at Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill with a 7 p.m. prayer service.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 at the mortuary in O'Neill. Pastor Mike Durre will officiate.

Burial will be in the Chambers Cemetery in Chambers with military rites provided by the Chambers American Legion Post 320.

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Lonnie was born on March 19, 1946 in Ericson, to John and Mae (Ostendorf) Dwinell. He attended school in Bartlett for his first years of elementary school. In 1953, the family moved to Clearlake Oaks, CA. There he played football, basketball and baseball and was very gifted in math.  He graduated from Lower Lake High School in 1964. 

After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Marines Corps. After he completed basic training, he was involved in a severe car accident and received a medical discharge. After a long healing process, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was sent to Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in November 1968.

While in Vietnam, Lonnie began receiving letters from a woman in Minnesota named Marlene Littlefield.  Once he was back in the country, the couple arranged to meet and Lonnie drove all the way from Ft. Riley, KS to Minnesota to meet her.  They were married on March 1, 1969 in Redwood Falls, MN, after only three visits. The couple spent some time in California, then returned to Wells, MN, where the couple had three children, and a foster child.

In 1980, they settled in Chambers to raise their children where Lonnie worked various jobs throughout the area farming. He retired in 2006 due to health reasons.

Lonnie enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and attending the grandkids' sporting events. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, trapper, butcher and gardener. 

He was a member of the Chambers American Legion and the National Rifle Association. He went on the Nebraska Vietnam Combat Veterans Honor Flight in June 2016. 

Lonnie is survived by his three children Jason (Wendi) Dwinell of Wayne, Bobbie Jo (Chad) Miller of Pierce and Tanya (Terry) Marcellus of Chambers; one foster child Bill Carrell of MN; seven grandchildren Laurel (Kiel) Brunken, Gabrielle Dwinell, Sarah Miller, Tristan Miller, Steven (Amber) Marcellus, Tami Jo (Jacob) Pacha and Samantha (Alex) Aldag; three great-grandchildren Averi, Everett and Ashtyn Brunken; one sister Bonnie Cornell of Clearlake Oaks, CA; one sister-in-law Linda Littlefield of Colorado Springs, CO; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Marlene in 2015, one grandson Caleb Dwinell in 2018, two brothers James Dwinell and Harold Dwinell and two brothers-in-law Nelson Cornell and Dale Littlefield.