William Klym

William O. Klym, 95, Dickinson, died Saturday, April 22, 2006, at St. Joseph?s Hospital and Health Center, Dickinson. Mass of Christian Burial will be 1 p. m. , Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at St. Patrick?s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Rev. Austin Vetter celebrating, with full military honors provided by the Dickinson Veterans Drill Team. Interment will be in St. Mary?s Cemetery, north of Belfield, close to the land he loved. Visitation will be 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. , Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at Price-Murphy Funeral Home, Dickinson with a rosary being said at 7 p. m. William O. Klym was born December 4, 1910 on the family farm north of Belfield, ND to Mike and Anna (Namyniuk) Klym. He grew up farming and spent his youth herding cattle with his brother, George, driving them from the Badlands to Dickinson, ND. He attended school at the one room Klym School house near their farm and later attended high school in Belfield. After studying commercial accounting at Dickinson Normal School (DSU), he moved to Bismarck, ND and worked for the Employment Security Bureau. William enlisted in the Army on December 22, 1942 and served as the Infantry Unit Commander, leading his Platoon at Normandy, northern France, and the Rhineland. He was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge and the European African and Middle Eastern Service Medal with three bronze stars. He was wounded in action in July, 1944 in France. He transferred to Scotland and was honorably discharged from the Army as 1st Lieutenant on August 6, 1945. After returning from Europe, he joined his parents who had moved to Puyallup, Washington. He worked for Boeing and then became a field advisor for the Employment Security Bureau in Tacoma, WA. On April 12, 1947, he married Rose Evoniuk at All Saints Church in Puyallup, WA. During spring planting, and at harvest, William would return to farm in North Dakota. In 1960, the family returned to Dickinson, ND where William resumed farming full time. In 1962, he was elected Register of Deeds, Clerk of Court, and Justice of the Peace for Billings County in Medora, ND. William had a deep love for the land and enjoyed walking the fields and pastures. He farmed into his late 80?s and fully retired in 1997. He was a strong advocate for education and was a voracious reader. The most important thing to him though, was his family. He was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, and St. Patrick?s Catholic Church. He enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, rock collecting, and walking the fields on the farm. He is survived by: his wife of 59 years, Rose, Dickinson; five children, Michael (LouAnn) Klym, Sherwood, OR, Peggy (John) Pfau, Rockford, IL, Mary (Bernard) Baumann, Powell, WY, Robert (Wanda) Klym, Dickinson, ND, Bryan Klym, San Jose, CA; six grandchildren, Trevor and Matthew Klym, Laura and Emily Pfau, and Kodi and Alex Klym. He was preceded in death by: two infant children; parents; sisters, Mary Palaniuk, Pearl Strilczuk, and Ann Polanchek, and one brother, George R. Klym. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to: Trinity High School, 810 Empire Rd. , Dickinson, ND 58601, or the Ukrainian Cultural Institute, 1221 Villard St. W. , Dickinson, ND 58601.


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Burial Date: April 26, 2006
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Mass: Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church