Lawrence (Dean) Switzer, age 90, of Circle, MT, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at McCone County Health Center in Circle, MT.
Lawrence Dean was born on May 26, 1918, in Bloomfield, NE, to Esther Waugh Switzer and Wayne Joseph Switzer. He grew up in Sheridan, WY on a dairy farm; attended school and graduated from Sheridan High School.
Dean worked on the home ranch, then moved from Sheridan, WY to central Montana with his brother Bob. In 1947, when he was 29 years old, he and Bob bought the Switzer Brothers Ranch between Circle and Richey, MT. On September 5, 1949, he married Patricia Wickens at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Denton, MT. They were married 59 years at the time of his death.
Dean was a firm believer in being involved in the industry where he made his living. He served on state boards for the MT Beef Council, MT Farm Bureau and MT Stockgrowers as well as being a county Farm Bureau president. He served four terms in the MT House of Representatives (1981-1989). He also served several years as a director of Mid-Rivers Telephone Co-op, and was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.
Dean loved ranching and all that went with it: rodeos, calf roping, cattle and horses, politics and the laws of this land. He played football in high school and loved football his whole life. He loved his family dearly and followed his grandchildren in sports activities. He loved spending time at family reunions. He was a 4-H horse leader, helping his kids and hauling horses. Dean and Pat enjoyed traveling together to various National Cattlemen’s conventions and the Montana Angus tours.
Dean is survived by his wife, Pat of the family ranch; children, Deanna (Edward) Brost of Brockway, MT, Eileen (Steve) Solberg of Billings, MT, and Larry Switzer of the family ranch; grandchildren, Kelly (Nicole) Keysor of Sidney, MT, Kyle Keysor of Miles City, MT, Kirk Keysor of Billings, MT, Mark Solberg of Billings, MT, Brett and Michael Solberg of Billings, MT, Kaci Switzer of Sheridan, WY, and Tate and Trey Switzer of the family ranch; one great-grandson, Brody Dean Keysor of Sidney, MT; step-grandchildren Bobbi (Les) Noess, Java, SD, Marcie Brost, Billings, MT, & Ryan Brost, Brockway, MT; step-great grandchildren, Samantha & Sheldon Noess, Java, SD; siblings, Prudence Grunkemeyer of Sheridan, WY, Kenneth (Marcelene) Switzer of Ojai, CA, Mary Toland of Sheridan, WY, Bill Switzer of Ojai, CA, Frances Brewster of Burlington, Iowa, and Nancy (Tom) Haynos of St. Mary’s, KA, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son, Martin Wayne Switzer, and two brothers, Bob and Jack Switzer.
Visitation will be at 4:00 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2009, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Circle, MT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Condolences to the family may be sent to www.stevensonandsons.com. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.