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"Theodore Francis &quot;Ted&quot; Schweyen Sr., 90, Berthold, ND, died Monday, July 4, 2016, at a Minot hospital.     He was born on May 14, 1926, in Minot, ND to Nicholas and Elizabeth (Grengs) Schweyen. He was the second of three children born, and was baptized at St. Leos Catholic Church in Minot. When Ted was still a child, the family moved from their Minot farm to Northgate, ND. Sometime after, in the midst of the Great Depression, they relocated to Duluth, Minnesota, but returned to Northgate after six months. Ted received his grade school and high school education at Northgate. When he reached his senior year, he decided to join the workforce at the Great Northern Railway as a telegraph operator, after passing a required exam. In 1943 he married Betty Mae Smith, from Makoti, who was the daughter of John and Ada (Roemer) Smith, and granddaughter of a Civil War veteran. Betty was a teacher at first and then later she was a homemaker. Shortly after his marriage he was drafted into the United States Army. He completed his basic training at Ft. Warren, Wyoming, before being sent overseas to serve in the Middle East Persian Gulf Command at Khorramshahr, Iran, and Cairo, Egypt. He was honorably discharged on July 9, 1946, almost exactly 70 years ago. Upon completion of his military service he returned to the Great Northern Railway as a telegrapher agent. He initially worked at places such as Appam and Lostwood. Eventually he and his growing family settled in Hartland, where he was located with work until 1962. In 1958 Ted moved his family to Berthold, where he worked as an agent from 1962 until 1977. As the railroads began to consolidate, he worked at Des Lacs also, before finally moving on to the Minot Centralized Agency, established as the Burlington Northern Railroad merger. He worked in Minot until 1988 when he retired, after achieving 45 years of continuous service to the railroad. He remained in Berthold with his wife after his retirement. During those years of full time employment with the railroad, Ted also kept busy with side endeavors. He did local custom combining for 15 years, and sold Christmas trees from out of Minnesota for eight years. He operated a small pig farm near Lone Tree, contracted grain doors for the elevator, and did haying along the railroad right of way. Teds passion was to breed, train, and race Standardbred trotters and pacers. He raced the horses on localized Canadian tracks, mainly in Manitoba. Some of them achieved speeds which allowed them to be entered into Assiniboia Downs, a prestigious racetrack in Winnipeg. Ted and Betty raised nine children throughout their many years of marriage. In 1951, a baby son, David, died due to complications of Down Syndrome. Ted and Bettys children attended Berthold Schools. Ted and his family were also parishioners at St. Anns Catholic Church, and he was a member of the American Legion in town. Upon his retirement, and after his children were raised, he farmed land near Sherwood for about 20 years.  Also, as time went on he spent much more time helping his wife, Betty, who had Parkinsons Disease. Ted was very devoted to her care. Some of the hobbies Ted enjoyed best over the years were gardening, crock pickling, cooking, and playing pinochle. Very recently Ted had been featured in the Minot Daily News (July 2, 2016), with his grandson, Fr. Michael Dion, who had made a trip from Washington state to North Dakota, directly following his June 25th ordination to the priesthood. He said Mass for Ted and gave him his anointing then, just shortly before his death. Ted was preceded in death by his loving wife of 67 years, Betty, his son, David, and his parents, Nicholas and Elizabeth Schweyen, grandchildren, Jon Schweyen, Joseph Schweyen, and Thomas Haaland, a sister Inez Stringer, and numerous in-laws and other relatives. He is survived by eight living children and their families, Theodore Schweyen Jr., Graham, WA, Jonathan Schweyen, West Seattle, WA, Stephen (Lauri) Schweyen, Seattle, WA, Margaret (Duane) Howey, Minot, Katherine (Darrell) Lafontaine, Minot, Mary Anne (Howard) Dion, Enumclaw, WA, Jean Marie (Gary) Bryans, Minot, and William (Tami) Schweyen, Bonney Lake, WA, 31 grandchildren, 45 great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, a brother, Leland (Rosemary) Schweyen, his neighbors of 52 years, Everett and Pauline Schweitzer, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorials are preferred to St. Anns Catholic Church, Berthold.                 Mass of Christian Burial:  Friday, July 8, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anns Catholic Church, Berthold, ND.                 Visitation:  Thursday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.                 Vigil Prayer Service:  Thursday, July 7, 2016, at 7 p.m. at St. Anns Catholic Church, Berthold.                 Burial will take place on Friday, July 8th at 2 p.m. at Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot."
<https://www.thompsonlarson.com/obituaries/Theodore-Francis-Ted-Schweyen-Sr?obId=14100467>