Harold Dean Thogersen was born on November 5, 1930, in Sidney Montana to parents Jens and Etta (Andersen) Thogersen. Dean grew up and attended school in Sidney, graduating from Sidney High School in 1948. As a young boy he helped out on the family farm and with the family ice business. He was only 16 years old when he lost his father, but he was fortunate to be have been allowed to play several school sports including football, basketball, track and his most favorite of all, baseball. Dean and his brother Alton were only allowed to play sports if the work was done. So they covered for each other and made it work.
After high school he attended auto body school in Minneapolis. Upon completion of the schooling, he came back to Sidney and worked at Whitaker Motors as a body man. In 1950, Dean enlisted in the USAF and served in Wichita Falls TX, Guam, Vallejo CA, and Mountain Home ID. While Dean was in the service, he and his brother Ed purchased Whitaker Motors, and it became Thogersen Motors. Dean was still in the air force when he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia “Tris” MacGrady on May 12, 1951 in Wichita Falls, TX. Their first two children, Jim and Colleen, were born before they returned to Sidney. In 1955, Dean was honorably discharged from the air force and they moved back home to Sidney to help run Thogersen Motors. They purchased the service station across the street in 1956 and Dean was there until 2013.
Dean and Tris were the proud parents of three children: James (Jim), Colleen (Coke), and Timothy (Tim). All of their children settled in Sidney and had the advantage of raising their children with the help of some amazing grandparents.
Dean loved all the local sports teams and spent his whole life coaching, playing, watching and supporting the athletes. Work, Family and Sports were the most important things in life to him. He was a great friend to all he served at the station and usually had a little time to visit, have a cup of coffee, and figure out what went wrong at the game the night before. He always found time to help out the “little old ladies”, including his own mom, his mother-in-law, his aunts, etc. He had a multitude of coffee buddies over the years. It was the highlight of his day when he got to go to coffee and solve the problems of the world with the help of his friends.
Dean was a lifelong member of the Pella Lutheran Church. He was also a proud member of the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department, retiring from the department after many years of service.
He was a loving husband to Tris for 52 years, and his life was never the same after he lost the love of his life. In the words of his nephew, Gary, “Dean was a man of few words, but he had a generous and loving spirit.” Dean passed away on June 26, 2016 at Sidney Health Center.
Dean died on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at the Sidney Health Center in Sidney, MT.
Dean is survived by his children: Jim (Brenda) Thogersen, Colleen (Rance) Haralson, and Tim (Loni) Thogersen. Grandchildren: Benjamin Thogersen-Sidney MT, Brandy (Casey) Thornton-Glendive MT, Laci (Zech) Lake-Bozeman MT, Trent Haralson-Sidney MT, Brittany Thogersen(Chris Gamber)-Sidney MT, Nick Thogersen-Seattle WA. Great-Grandchildren: Sawyor, Jackson, & Alice(Ali) Thogersen; Cole, Cody, & Ramsey Thornton; Elsie & Vail Lake; and Ezra Gamber. He is also survived by his sister, Irene Nielsen-Westby/Plentywood MT, many nieces & nephews, and friends-to many to count.
Dean was preceded in death by his wife – Patricia ”Tris” (MacGrady)Thogersen, parents, Jens & Etta(Andersen) Thogersen, brothers-Alton and Ed Thogersen, and his father & mother-in-law, Pat & Allie(Kelly) MacGrady.