Earl M. Yorgensen, 68, Dickinson, died Saturday, August 21, 2021, at his home. There will be a Celebration of Life Gathering for Earl on Saturday, September 25, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Fluffy Fields Vineyard and Winery, Dickinson.
Earl M. Yorgensen was born December 2, 1952, in Blackfoot, Idaho, the third son of Leora (Moore) Yorgensen and Deloy “Slim” Yorgensen. He spent his childhood in Shelley, Idaho in the company of loving parents, grandparents and his siblings—Delores, Roy, Paul and David. He attended Shelley High School and went to work with his father building vacation cabins. This work took him across Idaho and to Washington where he met his wife, Joanne. They soon welcomed two sons, Wyatt (born 1976) and Shane (born 1977).
For ten years, Earl and Joanne raised their sons on a remote ranch in Blacks Creek, just outside of Boise, where he managed land and cattle for C.W. Hanson. His home here was always open to visiting family, for work and play. These were long days of muddy adventures, horse riding, checking and repairing fences, and caring for cows from birth to sale. Though the work was difficult, Earl would tell you he was never happier than in these years that he was “a cowboy.”
After the ranch changed ownership, Earl returned to building and carpentry work, moving briefly to Meridian. Here, he and Joanne welcomed a third son, Reece (born 1986). Then came a cross-country drive with their family to begin a new adventure in Massachusetts. In Ware, Massachusetts, the family lived just down the road from Earl’s brother, David, and the two frequently worked together. During these years, Earl become interested in computers and taught himself to use some of the first at-home CAD design programs to draft blueprints. In the five years they lived there, they took several memorable vacations to historic locations around Boston, Cape Cod, and Washington DC.
In 1991, Earl’s family moved back across the country again, this time to Kent, Washington, near his brother, Roy. Earl and Joanne divorced here, though did their best to live near one another until Wyatt finished school.
In the mid-1990’s, Earl returned to Idaho, living for a time on his father’s property in Cascade, where he was a great help to him in caring for horses, and running the carpentry and sign business. This was especially true after his father was seriously injured in a horse accident and faced months of recovery.
In 2012, Earl joined Wyatt and his wife, Tonya, in North Dakota, moving just a few blocks from them where they were able to regularly visit, play pool, and enjoy many backyard barbecues. He passed away of a sudden heart attack on August 21, 2021, in Dickinson, North Dakota.
Earl loved his family. He was a keen observer of others and life, funny, and quick to lend a hand and use his talents to help any who needed him. He loved the outdoors and going on trail rides with his father, step-mother (Ann Yorgensen), brothers and step-brothers. He was proceeded in death by his mother, Leora; father, Deloy; step-mother, Ann; and sister, Delores. He is survived by his brothers—Chuck, Roy, Paul, and David; the Walker step-brothers; his sons Wyatt (Tonya), Shane, and Reece (Bonnie), and grandchildren Lucas and Kaylie (Shane), and Jude (Reece).
