W/E feed/Rescue Mission

[Lee Borgersen]

Fishing buddies hold walleye feed at Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks to honor friend


Shortly before he passed away, avid angler Guy Timmer was working to bring a walleye fish fry to the Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks. “He was being nice, giving back. It was one of the things he was good at,” said his fishing buddy Mark Judovsky.
 


 
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Mark Judovsky, East Grand Forks, dishes up a tray of walleye fillets hot out of the fryer at Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks Friday evening. Judovsky and a group of fishing buddies donated a 150 pounds of fillets for Monday's evening meal at theMission.JOHN SETNNES/GRAND FORSK HERALD
Shortly before he passed away, avid angler Guy Timmer was working to bring a walleye fish fry to the Northlands Rescue Mission in Grand Forks.


“He was being nice, giving back. It was one of the things he was good at,” said his fishing buddy Mark Judovsky.


Timmer didn’t get a chance to make it happen, but, on Monday, his fishing buddies did in his honor.


They brought over to the homeless shelter 152 pounds of Canadian walleye, enough for seconds and maybe thirds for everyone, including volunteers and their guests.


‘Luxury item’


Judovsky said the idea of a fish fry came up as he and Timmer drove by the mission one night in a year ago in November. He said Timmer wondered how long it had been since the residents there enjoyed walleye.


Timmer lived in Baudette, Minn., near the Lake of the Woods, and the tender flesh of the walleye was one of his favorites. His obituary said, “No one could fry a walleye better than Guy Timmer.”


“It’s kind of a luxury item,” said Judovsky, and Timmer realized not everyone can afford it.


So, the two fishing buddies began hatching a plan for a walleye feed at the mission.


Timmer, who grew up in Littlefork, Minn., died less than a month later at the age of 67.


Judovsky said he’d been thinking about their plan a lot and decided to carry on, inviting other fishing buddies to join him.


Brian Major Sr., a licensed commercial fisherman from Morson, Ont., provided all the fish. “Even though it’s a four-hour drive, when (Judovsky) said it was in honor of Guy, I took the opportunity.”


He brought his whole family, including sons Brian Jr. and Birdy, and wife Diane.


Brian Jr. lived down the road from Timmer and, he said, the two used to share coffee every morning, besides the occasional fishing trip.


The elder Major said he used to go ice fishing with Timmer. “He was, right of the bat, a likeable guy. ... Very sincere.”


A nice guy


Very helpful, too.


Judovsky said Timmer was always helping out the neighbors in Baudette, shoveling snow for a widow and taking a down-on-his-luck neighbor on fishing trips.


In the mission’s dining room, resident Deland Johnson had just finished his walleye meal. He said he grew up on the shores of Devils Lake and had enjoyed his share of walleye out there, but this one was very good also.


It’s a “blessing” to have lodging at the mission, where he’s staying while looking for family in town and recovering from an injury that’s prevented him from working at his old job in the oil fields out west, he said.


Timmer would’ve been touched by his fishing buddies’ effort, Judovsky said. “He was one that never showed his emotion a lot, but this would bring him to tears.”