Dinner in a Langtang Valley village. — with Don, Tim and Nepalese friend.

It’s hard to find the words and express the sadness Jim and I feel in the loss of my sisters husband, the father of my nephew and niece, the sweetest grandsons Papa, the brother, the Uncle Don and the friend to many. He was taken from this earth too soon. His loss has left a huge void and hurting hearts for so many. We will always cherish the special times we had as a family. Although Don travelled all over the world helping others in the agricultural industry, it’s the time we spent with Don, my sister and her children that we will cherish. Don had an amazing talent of telling stories, and yes, with a twinkle in his eye that so many have mentioned. You could not help but love his infectious laugh. I hear it every time I see his photo or just think of him. It is indeed impressive to see the outpouring of love and kindness from the many parts of this world that he touched.  Many admire his knowledge and ability to produce a variety of foods in many countries and under very difficult circumstances. Don’s loss is deep with many siblings, extended family, friends and a very special family he created with my sister, Mary. His legacy will live on in his son Dylan, daughter Chenoa and two precious grandsons. We will miss you Don Dwyer, but you will be forever in our thoughts, and beating in our hearts each and every day. May you find peace and comfort as your soul travels through the gardens of time. ❤️

Don was more then a friend! 

I have never meet a person with such Knowledge and commitment to knowing everything about his passion of growing food.

He was such a joy to learn from and he loved to teach. He often told me, I have no time for lazy people with a lazy mind! 

He had been on my mind a lot lately and when I got the news.....It truly was a very sad day!

Don, I will miss you and please ride every horse in heaven, they deserve a great man in the saddle!

Mary, Your family is in our thoughts and prayers!

A Great Day!

I met Don in 2018 when we were building the Denver greenhouse. He immediately invited me up to his place in Berthoud to build a prototype seedling cart, one we would recreate 5 more times (with plenty of frustration and choice language). We spent most of that day tinkering in his basement, talking about growing food, plants, and sharing stories. He gave me lunch, showed me around that impressive(!) garden, and when I left I couldn't help but feel that I had met a new friend. After that, we spent at least a week assembling all the towers, wingnut by wingnut, piece by piece. Don and I spent days sharing stories (well, Don did most of the sharing) and talking as we passed the time. One of those days, he was telling me a story about someone he met overseas who had had an impact on him, and started it with something like "you know you only meet a handful of people in life that make a big impact....". I think Don was someone like that for me; one of those rare people that come along that make a lasting impression. It seemed like he could connect with almost anyone by sharing a story, cracking a joke, and having fun in any situation. I kept in touch with him here and there after we both left that job, and he was instrumental in being a reference for my current job. I will forever be grateful for having known Don, and was deeply saddened to hear of his passing. My heart goes out to Mary, Dylan, Chenoa, and his extended family and friends. The world has lost a great human.

My Uncle Don didn’t have to take me in but he did. I was lucky enough to spend my freshman year of high school in Colorado with my Aunt Mary and Uncle Don. I grew and learned so much and hope he knew how grateful I was. I was able to see a side of life I hadn’t before and I’ll never forget it. Even though his dad jokes usually went over my head he always made me laugh. He was smart and could ask him anything he would not only have an answer but an explanation too. Forever grateful. ❤️

Mary, what a beautiful space you created for friends throughout the years to share their memories and condolences. What wonderful rich life you must have had with Don.  The WORLD will miss such a giving soul. 

I was one of the “gang of four” that relocated from West Glacier to Missoula over the Independence Day weekend in 1976 to work on contract at the infamous Northern Forest Fire Laboratory. It was a move that profoundly changed the lives of four young men. Not adapting well to a desk job, Don moved back North after a few years, met and married Mary and started a family. Eventually making a career of working around the world, teaching people how to better grow food in harsh conditions. The other three of us, we never left the comforts of Missoula.

I’d known Don a long time before 1976 though…even before I had a driver’s license. We worked together for a small landscape company in 1968-69 and have been friends ever since. There were gaps in time and space but always friends. Don was forever connecting people with a hand up to do good things, and I benefited from his connection in getting from Salt Lake City to Glacier and then Missoula.

Don’s and my family are deeply intertwined. Kathy, her daughter Marisa and I hosted Dylan for his senior year of high school so he could partake in the Hellgate band program. Ten years later, when Marisa was at college in Denver, she occasionally took refuge from the city with uncle Don and Mary in Berthoud. Since Don and Mary returned to Missoula a few years ago, our friendship just keeps growing.

I want to also acknowledge Mary, a very strong woman. I’ve had the honor of spending an afternoon with Don, pretty much every week since June. The tenderness, compassion, patience and love that she bestowed these last 6 months is something to be honored. Who could be so lucky to have someone that loves them so much at the end of life?

Mary, my heart breaks for you. I have never met you or Don, but I heard so much about him from my late husband Guy, with whom he worked in Afghanistan 13 years ago. Don quickly became a huge support, role-model, and friend to Guy and made his time in Afghanistan very meaningful. He also helped me to find a contact for my son, Danial, for an overseas internship last year, which was invaluable for him in his graduate school application and procurement of a job working with an NGO. What a great man he must have been to have had such a positive effect on those who came into his orbit. May he rest in peace and may all his family, especially you, find peace in memories of a life so well lived. With love and light, Raheela McGhie

I am so lucky to have known Don. He was an amazing person and everyone's Uncle. He has left a legacy among our Afghanistan Alums. Rest in Peace Uncle Don. 

I was a kid 12 years old and he told me I could eat that bit of fern. He was the first biologist I had ever met and he meant it. 

 So sad to hear of your passing. You cultivated my love for Labrador Retrievers a long time ago. Rest in peace Bugs. 

I was saddened this morning when an old friend from my days at Glacier NP in the mid 1970’s, Bruce Jeske, sent me notice of Don’s passing. My spirits were were much improved however, when I read this memorial and found that he had lived a life full of family, friends, and great adventures.

I have many great memories of times with Don, but I’ll share just a couple that I hope will bring a smile and nod from those who knew him. Don and I were part of a small group of SIU students who participated in Phil Robertson’s first field ecology course at the Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association camp at Red Lodge, MT, back in August 1973 (pictures appended). Early in the course we were on top of the high Beartooth plateau where we spotted a group of amazing downhill skiers bombing down an incredibly steep north-aspect cirque headwall on a very crusty remnant snowfield. Joe Dittamore, Don, and I were standing at the top edge watching the skiers when Don asked us what you would need to climb down the snowfield. We were explaining that a rope, ice axe, & crampons would be necessary when Don suddenly bailed off the edge and began a rapidly accelerating butt-slide down the slope. At the base of the snowfield was a jumble of jagged car-sized boulders and half way down Don spun around and was going in head first. I clearly remember exclaiming 'Damn, he's dead!' But, at the last second, Don managed to rotate about 100 degrees and bounced off his ass/hip on the first boulder he hit and somersaulted out of sight. He thankfully survived, but he really torqued his lower back and had to get a prescription for some heavy pain meds and R&R for a couple of days. I think I recall I later learned Don had been a collegiate diver, which explained a bit of his risk-taking behavior.

About a year later we heard from Don that he was working on a fire ecology project out in Glacier NP. I was on my way out to Olympia,WA, in January 1975, and I detoured up to Glacier to visit Don. While there, Don’s boss offered me a job and I stayed in Glacier for the next 15 months working with Don on the fire ecology project. The winter of ‘75-’76 Don, I, and several other project staffers rented a house at Belton, just outside the park. In our spare time we cross-country skied, joined the square dance club, tended bar and played cribbage at the Belton Chalet, and danced and partied at the Dew Drop bar. One of my strongest memories of our Glacier household was the love/hate relationship between Don and his two bone-headed Black Labs. Stuck inside most of that bitterly cold and dark Glacier winter, the dogs were frequently tearing into the kitchen garbage. (I’m chuckling right now as I remember all Don’s housemates would head for a safe space while Don dealt with the mess and the culprits.)

I made some very strong friendships among the Glacier crew and was very touched when Don and Bruce Jeske drove all the way down to SW New Mexico to attend my wedding celebration in 1978. RIP old friend.

Southern Illinois U. field ecology students 1973. Don Dwyer far right and Roger Skaggs far left. We had adorned our beards with green lichens we grabbed from the surrounding conifers!

Benoit and I were so very  sad to hear of Don's death - but relieved he was no longer suffering from that horrible illness that confined and took him too rapidly. Sadly we had not seen Don (or Mary) in too many years, but had hoped they would visit us in France once (sort of) retired.. We met them back in the 80s in a birthing prep class when we were all living in Illinois. We connected with them both immediately because they were so much fun. Don always made me laugh in class, he had a wicked sense of humour.  He had this energy about him that was contagious, this zest and passion for life - his wife, his children, his work, his family and friends. He also introduced us to the famous Quarry in Elgin and our children still light up when we remember that amazing place. Many have talked about the twinkle in his eye, and yes it was definitely always there - you can see it in all the wonderful photos shared here. He is going to be so very very missed but he'll always be alive in our hearts. Wrapping Mary and the whole family with all our love. Sarah, Benoit, Alice, Emilie and Davidxx

Denver work site

Growing up having a big brother like Bugs (Donald) was an adventure in itself. But, not as large as Bugs' adventuresome life.  He never ceased to amaze me when he changed the world wherever he went. I could not believe it when he decided to work in Afghanistan, a war zone. I happened to own a coffee shop, so mailed him 10 lbs of 100% American grown coffee  (Kona beans), which he shared and brewed coffee for the forces, during morning muster in Kabul, before they embarked on the daily missions.

I also remember Don going to a Halloween  costume party dressed as Jesus Christ, carrying a large wooden Cross over his shoulder, while riding his motor cycle to the party.

Don was always special to me, as are all my brothers. And he will be missed by all of us.

Words cannot express the loss we feel when we lose a brother…. Don will continue to be in our hearts and the memories will live on forever. Rest in peace my beloved brother.  Love to Mary and the entire Donald Dwyer family.  

I still recreate this curried okra dish Don introduced me to