Inez Liegman

Inez Arlene Liegman, age 99, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2025, the very day she was to celebrate her 100th birthday with family and friends. Her life was a testament to faith, creativity, resilience, and love.

She was born in Valley City, ND on November 9, 1925 to Clarence and Nettie (Vogel) Cresap of Rogers ND. They later moved to Wimbledon ND.

A lifelong member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Inez lived her values with quiet grace and unwavering devotion. Her greatest joy was her family, whom she cherished deeply, and her passion for sewing, which she shared generously with others.

Raised in Wimbledon, North Dakota, Inez graduated from Wimbledon High School and began her working life at Ernie’s Café in Valley City. She had a natural gift for hospitality and a deep love for restaurant work, which led her to own and operate the Wimbledon Café from 1968 to 1976. She also worked at Woolworth’s in Jamestown and later as a hostess at Wagon Masters Café in Jamestown, always bringing warmth and kindness to those she served.

On November 1st, 1947, she married her school bus driver, Wilbur Kamphuis, in Wimbledon. Together they raised four children: Duane, Renae, Mark, and Kevin. Wilbur passed away in 1963 after a battle with lung cancer.

Some years later, a familiar face began lingering at the café after the local bar closed—Frank Liegman, who eventually won Inez’s heart (and a few brownie points) by scrubbing the café floors after hours. They married on October 11, 1968, in Courtenay, ND. Their union brought not only love and lots of laughter but also culinary fame: the “Big Frank” quarter-pounder—piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles—became the signature item on the Wimbledon Café menu.

Inez’s creativity extended far beyond the kitchen. Her hands were rarely still, always busy creating warmth and beauty through her beloved craft of sewing. From delicate baby items to vibrant walker pockets and stunning handmade quilts, her creations stitched joy into the lives of many. Even at 97, her entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well—she asked her daughter to make business cards so she could offer mending services to fellow residents at Edgewood Vista. With needle and thread in hand, she patched, hemmed, and stitched for others, always happy to help and always with a smile. She sold her crafts at Frontier Village in Jamestown, at Edgewood Vista in Mandan, and to family and friends who treasured her work. Her creations warmed homes and hearts, and her legacy lives on in every piece she made.

Inez is survived by her four children, Duane (Charlene) Kamphuis of Mandan, Renae (Vernon) Hoggarth of Bismarck, Mark (Jan) Kamphuis of Bismarck, & Kevin (Elsa) Kamphuis of Valley City. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Travis (Allison) Kamphuis, Torin and Aidyn of Minot; Eric (Jamie) Hoggarth, Chloe, Hadleigh, Gunner, Paisley, Cooper and Lily of Aberdeen, SD; Amanda (Justin) Olson of Minot, Sawyer (Mara Idso) of Bismarck, and Taylor (Joshua Saenz) of Denver, CO; Megan (Bruce) Adams, & Payson of Platte City, MO; Kelly (Kyle) Kapsch, Ben and Zander of Bismarck; Kara (Jason) Fisher, & Stella of Bismarck; Heather (Jonathan) Berg, Brielle, Kennedy, and Lincoln of Park River, ND; Dustin (Amanda) Kamphuis, Kinley and Tayley of Aberdeen, SD; Josh Plecity of Valley City, and Tana Plecity of Valley City; Her siblings, Joyce Michaelson of Jamestown; Eldon (Penney) Cresap of Bismarck; many nieces and nephews.

Inez was preceded in death by her parents (Clarence and Nettie Cresap), her husbands (Wilbur Kamphuis and Frank Liegman), her siblings (Wesley Cresap, Robert Cresap, and Elva Witthauer) and great grandson (Brayden Kamphuis).

A funeral service will be held 10:00 AM Tuesday, October 21st at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1020 Boundary St NW, Mandan, ND.

Burial will take place in the Prairie View Cemetery in Wimbledon, ND following the service and reception.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Edgewood Vista in Mandan for the excellent and compassionate care they provided for our mother. During her time there, she made many dear friends—people she truly loved, and who loved her in return. The kindness, connection, and community she experienced meant the world to her and to us.

We love you, Mom.