Alvin Theodore "Ike" REIL

Alvin Theodore Reil, better known at "Ike," died suddenly Saturday morning, Nov. 16, 2002, at his home in Alexander.

Ike was bore on the family farm near Corona, S.D., on Oct. 3, 1933, to William and Lydia (Buttke) Reil. He always said that his mom milked the cows in the morning, and he arrived in the afternoon. Ike was educated in Corona and graduated from Corona High School in 1952. On Labor Day weekend this past year he was fortunate to attend his 50th class reunion.

After high school, he and a cousin headed west and ended up near Glendive. His cousin went home, but Ike stayed and worked in the Bloomfield area.

Uncle Sam called him, and he served two years in the Army from 1954to 1956 with the main portion of that time spent in Japan. He said in the line-up he was in, the guy ahead of him and the fellow behind him went to Nome, Alaska. He was very happy to go to Japan. After his discharge from the Army, Ike went to work for Schlumberger Well Servicing Company in Glendive and later in Williston. Ike owned for a time Ike's Texaco in Williston and later bought a truck andstock trailer and operated Reil Trucking.

Ike was an out-going, slap on the back, how ya doing kind of guy. There are very few people living in northwestern North Dakota and elsewhere that he didn't know and greet by name. For relaxing fun, pinochle was his game.

On Jan. 17, 1959, Ike married Beverly Sandry. To this union four children were born, Melodie Schulz (Robert) of Bismarck, N.D., Kurtis (Julie Atkins) of Denver, Colo., Valerie Axelson (Michael) of Trenton, N.D., and Kristin Reil (Craig Wilkie) of Williston; nine grandchildren, Alyssa and Kalli Kourajian, Bismarck, Tyler, Justin and Luke Reil, Denver, Chelsea Smith and Tess Axelson, Trenton, and Madison and MayCee Wilkie, Williston.

On Feb. 14, 1991, Ike married Dorothy Moe of Alexander in Sidney.

In the spring of 1998, Ike began living a life long dream of having a ranch with enough farming to do and cattle, horses and cats to tend to each day.

Ike was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Alexander, Williston Moose Lodge, American Legion, Edgar M. Boyde Post #37, North Dakota Farm Bureau and R-Calf USA.

His wife, Dorothy, survives him as do his children, Melodie, Kurtis, Valerie and Kristin, his grandchildren, his ex-wife Beverly Natwick, brother, Laverne (Pete) of Corona, S.D, brother William (Bill) and Sharon Reil, Wilmont, S.D., sisters, Thelma Peas, Highland, Calif., and Helen and Floyd Constant, Bermuda Dunes,Calif., and sister-in-law Marlene Reil, Corona, S.D., many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Ike was preceded in death by hisparents, brothers, James and Reuben Reil, a niece, Elaine Reil, and his two sets of mothers and fathers-in-law.

Ike lived life to the fullest and had plans to haul cattle just before the Lord reached down and took him away to tend to the critters on high.

May herest in peace.