Louis Anthony Vymola, 83, of Jamestown, North Dakota, passed away peacefully on November 8, 2026, of heart failure. He was not in pain and did not suffer. A funeral service will be held at Glenfield Cemetery in Glenfield, North Dakota. The date is still to be determined but will most likely be in June 2027.
Lou was born February 8, 1943, to Louis and Mary Vymola in Chicago, Illinois. He joined the U.S. Air Force when he was 18. After training as a Morse Intercept Operator, he was stationed in Japan for two and a half years.
He was then stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. There he met Kay Anderson, who was teaching school in Warren, Minnesota. They fell in love and were married after only five weeks of courtship. For 62 years, they never left each other’s side.
The couple later moved to Chicago, where Lou attended DeVry Technical School to train in electronics. They then moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where their son Brian was born on December 12, 1968. Lou worked at Collins Radio Company there for two years. From there they moved to Cologne, Minnesota, where their son Steven was born on April 30, 1970. Lou worked at Control Data Corporation in Minneapolis for 17 years. He spent the last 16 years of his career at FMC Naval Systems in Fridley, Minnesota, writing technical procedures for the Navy’s VLS missile launchers.
Lou and Kay both retired in 2002 and moved to Bismarck, North Dakota. They lived there for five years before settling in Jamestown.
Lou loved his garden and was a master at growing garlic. His garlic won a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair three years in a row. His other passion was fishing, which he loved and was very, very good at. He and his best friend, Raymond Topp, always competed to see who could catch the biggest fish. Depending on whom you ask, either Lou or Ray was the better fisherman. The question remains unsettled, since no one else was ever there to witness it.
One of Lou’s favorite places was the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. He first went there at 13, taken by his father, who had been making the trip from Chicago with his friends for many years. Lou loved it so much that he carried the tradition on with his own family. One of his last fishing trips was to the Boundary Waters with his sons.
Lou and Kay were completely devoted to each other, and together they raised two sons, Brian and Steven. Over the years, and especially after retirement, they too many road trips around the country, exploring new places and meeting many interesting and wonderful people. Driving together was one of their favorite things to do. Lou was a very good driver and always took the wheel. Kay kept him company by reading the journals of their past trips, talking with him, and being the best co-pilot ever.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Kay (Anderson) and his sons, Brian and Steven. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, three nephews and five nieces.
Eddy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
