Edwin Keith Nirider, 91

Edwin Keith Nirider passed away at his home in Kalispell on the eve of Nov. 16, 2021.

Born to Harry and Geraldine Nirider on July 25, 1930, he was raised on a 120-acre farm near the town of Roxbury, Kansas. He witnessed the Dust Bowl as a young boy, watching the sky grow dark as a wall of dust descended upon the landscape. “You can’t imagine,” he would later recall, “until you’ve seen it — it’s not even imaginable.” He graduated from Roxbury High School in 1948 with a class of just 21 students. Later he served the United States Air Force as an air policeman at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane. In 1955 he settled in Kalispell to raise a family. He found employment with the Anaconda Aluminum Company in Columbia Falls that same year. He worked at the aluminum plant as a pipefitter until his retirement in 1985. After his retirement he traveled the country with his wife and constant companion, Deletha Roberts. His license plates read “2LQQKEN” -— a nod to the thousands of miles the couple traversed taking in the scenery of the American countryside. After their grand tour, the two ultimately returned to the montane beauty of the Flathead Valley.

He was preceded in death by his brother George Nirider, sister Shirley Reese, and his wife Deletha Roberts.

He leaves to carry on his memory a bountiful family, sons Tom and Jeff Nirider, daughter Liz Nirider, granddaughters Laurren Nirider, Lailie and Hannah O’Keefe; and an extended family of four stepchildren, Alan, Mikki and wife Cynthia, Marc and Kimberly Dewitt, along with six stepgrandchildren, and several stepgreat-grandchildren.

Ed was known for his endearing personality and open heart. He was truly the center of the family and his home was the site of countless happy gatherings; his family was his greatest joy in life. He was exceedingly proud of all his children — those he raised and those gained through his marriage. While he earned the Air Force rank of “staff sergeant,” his greatest honor was earning the title “Grandpa,” and he served the role ardently. His final days were blessed with visits from myriad friends and family such that the hospital staff could hardly keep up with the constant stream of visitors.

Donations to honor his memory may be made to the Glacier National Park Conservancy at glacier.org/donate-to-glacier/.