Philip Monroe Dyrud was born on January 11, 1939, in Thief River Falls, MN. He was the second child of Harvey and Myrtle (Rasmussen) Dyruds eleven children.

Philip died on Monday evening, September 18, 2006, of complications following a bone marrow transplant on January 3, 2006, at the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

Philip was preceded in death by his daughter Joy, sister Mavis, and parents Harvey and Myrtle Dyrud.

Philip graduated from Newfolden High School in 1957 and spent the following three years in the US Army as a guided-missile specialist working out of Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX, and tested missiles out on the White Sands Proving Grounds near Carrizozo, NM.

Returning to the Midwest in 1960, Philip attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN, where he met and wooed Avis Corrinne Hoel. They married on July 11, 1964. Full-time dairy farming was set aside in the fall of 1965 when Philip began teaching history, social studies, and drivers education at Newfolden High School. Two years later, he moved his family of three to Minneapolis where he entered graduate school at the University of Minnesota in Education Administration. Three children, three school districts, three degrees, and seven years later, Philip completed his sojourn in The City, returning to northwestern Minnesota to become superintendent of schools in Middle River, a position he would hold for twenty-seven years, but not only for this school district. In 1976 Philip added the Strandquist School District to his workload; next came Lancaster in 1981 and finally Greenbush in 1989. His official retirement took place this last June 30, 2006, when he said good-bye to the Lancaster School District.

Philip Dyrud will be well remembered for his tirelessness. When school ended, farming began. And if he wasnt farming, he was riding his motorcycles, playing basketball, bee-keeping, collecting tractors (to name just one of a myriad of things he collected), flying planes, performing Gospel Magic at churches throughout the area, serving on numerous committees, and mentoring other educators. Phil was a member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church and a founding member of the Minnesota Rural Education Association; he trained to be a crop duster and worked as a Minneapolis Police Reserve Officer. He was a Gideon, a barber, a justice of the peace, and a basketball referee. It is no wonder that he admired Benjamin Franklin, for like Franklin, his mind and body never rested. Now he is experiencing perfect rest in his Saviors loving embrace.

Philip is survived by his beloved wife Avis, children: Hope Miriam Unverzagt (Jonathan), Tamara Jorell Schierkolk (Scott), Nathan Joel Dyrud (Jocelyn), Heidi Marie Edwards (Mark), Ingrid Naomi Watts (Philip); grandchildren Analaya, Gretchen, Britton, Leif, Sigre, Emma, Zofeyah, Berit, and Anders Unverzagt; Inga, Thora, and Olga Schierkolk; Adeline and Ilya Edwards; Silas, Beck, and Halvor Watts; siblings Harlan (Darlene), Keith (Grace), Faythe (Gordy) Thureen, David (Arleen), Helene McCauley, Jonathan (Anh-Ngoc), Clifford (Alva), Gracia (Bob) Blees, Rachel, Dwight (Chris), Uncle Amos (Ovidie) Dyrud, and thirty nephews and nieces.

Philip's life will be celebrated on Saturday morning, September 23, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN. The service will begin at 10 a.m. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Friday, September 22, also at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be sent in Philip's memory to organizations that were near and dear to his heart. Some suggestions:

Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN
Gideons International
Greater Europe Mission [Designated for Eric and Christy McCauley. Eric (Helenes son) is a nephew and Godchild of Philip and Avis.]
Wycliffe Bible Translators [Designated for Lars and Sarah Dyrud. Lars is the son of Mary and Loiell Dyrud, Philips cousin.]