Services for Harold Cyr
Mon, 09/20/2021 - 4:57pm
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Harold Cyr, 92, of Oklee passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at his home with his family members at his side.
Harold Anthony Cyr was born on April 13, 1929 in Crookston, the son of Frank and Leontine (Beaudin) Cyr. He attended school in Oklee, graduating in 1949. He was drafted into the US Army in February of 1951 and received an honorable discharge in December of 1952. He spent a large portion of his time in the Army as a cook at Elmendorf Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska. Other than his time in the service, he was lifelong resident of Oklee.
On August 4, 1953 he married Shirley Ann Turgeon at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and they celebrated 68 years of marriage this past year. Harold worked at a variety of jobs including trucking, chief of police in Oklee for three years, on the missile base in northeastern North Dakota and on various pipeline jobs before taking over Cyr Hardware in 1969. Together Harold and Shirley ran the store until a fire in 1997 led to retirement. All the while Harold and Shirley ran the store it was a place, not only to get the things you might need, but a gathering place for a cup of coffee and a good story about hunting, the weather, or about the “old days” in Oklee. He spoke French to everyone, whether they understood or not. Harold had many “sidekicks” over the years, retirees that came to visit the store as part of their daily routine. He continued to fix shoes and do woodworking in a shop that he had behind their residence.
Harold enjoyed motorcycles all his life so when his children wanted to get a bike, he was all for it. He fulfilled a lifelong dream in 1987 when he purchased a Harley- Davidson Tour Guide Classic which he and Shirley were able to enjoy for a number of years.
Affectionately known as Big Har to young and old, he enjoyed anything that his children were involved in, especially athletics, and in particular wrestling.
Other than his family, Harold’s greatest passion was hunting. He hunted deer, loved to chase fox and coyotes, but his real love was to hunt waterfowl. When they were still in the store, most of October and November, Shirley would open so he could pursue his passion. Any time that he could have a shotgun in his hands, it was a good day. He also loved to shoot trap and competed in ATA trapshoots when he was able. He was always proud of breaking 199 out of 200 at the North Dakota State Shoot in Grand Forks. He also participated and won events in league shooting in Thief River Falls and Red Lake Falls.
Harold is survived by his wife, sons Paul of Oklee, Stephen (Susan) of Rochester, Joe (Karen) of Fertile, John (Trisha) of Fargo, and daughters Mary (David) Allton of Wayzata and Catherine of Perham; grandsons Bradley (Audrey), Peter (Lindsay), Thomas (Maddie), Cy, and Victor Cyr, and Joe Lorenson and granddaughters Maria (Luke) and Lily Lorenson; great-grandchildren Colin, Owen, and Maggie Cyr; and one brother Frankie of Oklee. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Lloyd and Bradford.
A funeral Mass for Harold Anthony Cyr will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, September 24 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Oklee.
