Tim Dwyer

ALEXANDER -- Tim Dwyer, 87, a lifelong resident of Alexander, died Jan. 7, 2005, at his home after a courageous battle with acute leukemia. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Alexander, with the Rev. Tim Swenson officiating. Following the service, internment will be held in the Alexander Cemetery, with military rites provided by the American Legion Post 94 Honor Guard. The ladies of Trinity Lutheran will serve lunch at the Church following the burial.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, at the Presbyterian Church next door to Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City. The family will receive guests at the church from 2 to 5 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church.

Tim Dwyer was born March 30, 1917, Williston, the son of James and Grace (Taylor) Dwyer. He farmed and ranched three miles northwest of Alexander, next to the homestead where he grew up.

Dwyer's father died when he was only 7 years old, so he and his two brothers and sister, along with their 30 year-old mother, raised livestock and poultry and worked on neighboring homesteads to make ends meet.

When interviewed about his childhood as the honored guest for Alexander's Old Settler's Day in 1990, Dwyer said: "ÉWe didn't have any money, and without a father each of us kids had to pitch in... My mother taught school, and we sold cream and butter which provided our main source of income. We were taught that if we were honest, worked hard, had a positive attitude, and stayed cheerful, everything would come out all rightÉ"

Dwyer graduated from Alexander public schools in 1934, and also attended Minot State Teachers College where he met Marjorie Skarsgard from Makoti. Tim and Marjorie were married May 22, 1945, when Tim was home on leave from the Army. After World War II, they began their farming operation near Alexander and had seven children, which has multiplied into thirty four living grandchildren and two great-grandchildren at the time of Dwyer's death. Marjorie died of a tragic cancer death in 1969, leaving Tim to raise his children alone.

Tim married Eva Heth of Williston Oct. 8, 1977m at Williston, and together their respective families have 10 children, 41 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. In a newspaper interview prior to his death, Dwyer said, "My children and grandchildren have been a tremendous blessing for meÉ and it has been a real pleasure to watch them and see them do wellÉ "

Dwyer's four daughters now live in various locations including, (Peggy and husband Ron Sell with two sons and two daughters), New York City, (Jane and husband Chip Morgan with three sons and two daughters) Eagan, Minn, (Ruth and husband John Coleman with four sons and two daughters) Bismarck, (Barbie and husband John Rice with three sons and two daughters), Maddock.

Two of Dwyer's sons live in Bismarck, (John and wife, Barb Dwyer with two sons and two daughters and Mike and wife, and Patty Dwyer with one daughter and five sons.). Dwyer's youngest son, Tim Jr. ranches and farms in the Squaw Gap and Alexander areas with his wife Tori and their four daughters.

Dwyer's passion was farming and ranching and he was proud of the fact that he had planted and harvested 58 crops, including this past year. He was fond of saying, "I think I will farm just one more yearÉ" Besides building his successful farming operation after returning from military service in World War II, he was also very proud of having helped two sons (Mike and Tim Jr.) in establishing separate farming and ranching operations to carry on his farming heritage. Tim and his wife Eva especially enjoyed the cattle side of his operation.

Another passion of Dwyer's was politics. He loved to discuss his views of government and it was often a mealtime discussion topic. Dwyer held numerous offices in the former District 36 Republican organization, serving as Chairman and as a delegate to several state conventions. A highlight of his politics vocation, he said, was running for the N.D. State Senate and meeting all the fine folks in McKenzie and Dunn Counties he didn't already know. Another of Dwyer's political highlights was meeting with former President Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office in 1977 to discuss farm policy when he was President of the North Dakota Wheat Producers. Dwyer also served as a board member and president of the National Hard Spring Wheat Show in Williston, was a state board member of the North Dakota Farm Bureau in the 1960s, a longtime member of the North Dakota Stockman's Association and a charter member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

An Alexander community leader, Dwyer was a former president of the Alexander Lion's Club, former Commander of the local American Legion Post 94 and continuous Legion member for 57 years. Dwyer was also one of the primary organizers of the Alexander community baseball and softball programs for kids on Saturday night. A long time member and former Chairman of the Alexander Trinity Lutheran Church Council, Dwyer was responsible for the Ten Commandants sign as you enter Alexander from the south. He also took great delight in the annual Alexander Memorial Days activities.

Dwyer also served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) in 1935, helping build public works projects in Idaho, Montana and South Dakota. He enlisted in the Army during World War II, serving in the Pacific Theatre, (Phillipine Islands). He was honorably discharged from the Army May 13, 1946, and then began his farming and ranching dreams. U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan recently arranged to fly a U.S. flag over the U.S. Capitol recognizing Tim Dwyer for his service to his country as a member of the "greatest generation" providing freedoms for all of us.

Tim is survived by his wife of 27 years, Eva; his daughters, Peggy (Ron) Sell, Jane (Chip) Morgan, Ruth (John) Coleman, and Barb (John) Rice; his sons John (Barb), Mike (Patty) and Tim Jr. (Tori); 34 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his stepsons, Donald Heth (Peggy) and Gary Heth (Stevie), all of Williston; and his stepdaughter, Shirley (Pat) Lynam of Wenatchee, Wash.; seven step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Tom, Alexander, and Terry (Dolly), Great Falls, Mont.; and many nephews, nieces and great-nephews and great-nieces.

His first wife Marjorie; his parents, Jim and Grace Dwyer; his sister, Grace Olson; and his grandchildren, Majorie Morgan, Chad Morgan and Timothy Dwyer Morgan, Eagan, Minn., preceded Dwyer in death.

The family suggests memorials to the Anne Carlson School; Yellowstone Boys Ranch, Billings, Mont.; or the Tim Dwyer Memorial Fund.