Ira Wesley 'Wes' Rimel

Ira Wesley "Wes" Rimel, 93, died in Junction City, Ore., on July 13, 2014, following a brief illness, after having spent a year near his family in Eugene. A Wibaux native, he had been living in St. Marie until June 2013.

The memorial service will be held in Armitage Park in Eugene at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. Ashes will be buried in Wibaux in the future.

He was born on Jan. 10, 1921, to Ira "Dice" Rimel and Hazel "Barbara" Rimel née Webber in Wibaux. He graduated from Wibaux County High School in 1939, served in the Civilian Conservation Corps and enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor.

In the Navy's V-12 program, Wes studied at Montana School of Mines, the University of Washington and, as an undergraduate, Harvard University's Graduate School of Business. He earned a bachelor's degree in business management/accounting at the University of Washington and served as a supply officer in the Navy during the Korean conflict and at the naval prison in Norfolk, Va.

On Dec. 13, 1943, he married Mary Mackinlay Weir; they later divorced.

He worked as a right-of-way agent/negotiator for the Montana Highway Commission (Glendive, Lewistown and Billings) and Lane County (Eugene). He received awards for his short stories and was listed in Who's Who in America.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Mildred Karst, Meryle Carlisle and Charlotte Greenup; and one brother, Dean Rimel.

Survivors include three daughters, Pat Druckenmiller and her husband, Doug, of Davenport, Iowa, Valerie Burgan of Great Falls, and Linda Rimel of Eugene; two sons, Dave Rimel and his wife, Melinda, of Portland, Ore, and Glenn Rimel of Junction City; grandchildren, Geoff Wrigg, Christopher Druckenmiller and his wife, Reese, Avis Rimel, Charlie Rimel and his wife, Jerri, Maggi Atkison and her husband, George, Christine Moes and her husband, Christopher, Stefanie Albert and her husband, Jay, Anthony Rimel and Anna Rimel; great-grandchildren, Oona Druckenmiller, Fin Druckenmiller, Jakob Rimel, Joshua Rimel, Hannah Atkison and Malia Moes; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Many family members were able to enjoy visits with Wes this past year, and he spoke fondly of times he spent with friends in St. Marie, Wibaux and Beach, N.D., in recent years.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans (P.O. Box 14301 Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301 or http://www.DAV.org).