Longtime Williston attorney and former state legislator Dean Winkjer, 86, died Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the Bethel Lutheran Home, Williston.

Services are at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at the First Lutheran Church, Williston. Interment will follow later at Riverview Cemetery.

Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Everson Funeral Home, Williston, and one hour preceding the service at the church. Friends may share remembrances at www.eversonfh.com.� 

Dean Winkjer was born Jan. 19, 1923, to Jonathan and Amanda (Farland) Winkjer in Wildrose. He was baptized and confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church, educated in the Wildrose public schools and he learned many life lessons at his father’s side in the Winkjer Garage on Main Street.

He attended the University of North Dakota, beginning in 1941, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1945 and a law degree in 1947. He established a law practice in Williston and remained a member of the North Dakota Bar until 2006. One of his first clients was the Northwest Mutual Aid Telephone Cooperative in Ray, and he was its legal counsel for 48 years. His legal practice was influenced by the state’s first oil boom, and he became one of the leading advocates for mineral and royalty owners and small oil companies. He retired from his law firm in December 1998 and continued as executive director of the Fred and Clara Eckert Foundation for Children until March 2004.

On Aug. 24, 1951, Dean married his life partner, Betty Septon, in Williston, and together they raised four children. Dean was generous in giving time to his community and church, and he was named the North Dakota Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1948. For the first 12 years of the UND-Williston Center, now Williston State College, he taught early morning government and political science classes.

He served on the Board of Regents for Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, for another 12 years. Since 1948, Dean belonged to Rotary and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was on the Williston Library Board and chaired Salvation Army and United Way fund drives.

Because his poor health as a young man prevented him from serving in the military, for 25 years he held a pro bono appointment by the Selective Service Administration as a government appeal agent to the local draft board.

In appreciation for his Boy Scout leaders, Dean was an active Scout leader throughout his adult life. Although he never earned the Eagle Scout Award himself, Dean guided many young scouts to that goal as scoutmaster of Williston’s Troop 365. For his leadership positions at local, district and national levels, Dean was honored with the Silver Beaver Award by the Boy Scouts of America and the Lamb Award by the National Lutheran Council of the U.S.

Dean was active in local, state and national levels of the American Lutheran Church, now the ELCA. He was active in the Lutheran Student Association in college and was a longtime Sunday School teacher, adult education and youth leader, deacon and council member at the First Lutheran Church. He was also involved for many years with the Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota board.

A lifelong Republican, he began helping the campaigns of statewide candidates while still in college, and he remained active at precinct, state and national levels, attending several national conventions as a delegate. He was on the Board of Governors of the National Republican Lawyers Association for many years, and was a longtime member of the Federalist Society.

In 1972, he was elected to the first of four terms representing District 1 in the North Dakota House of Representatives. In the 1974 election, he won his second term with the flip of a coin after the election results were determined to be an exact tie.

As chair of the House Judiciary Committee for four years and the House and Senate Interim Committee on the Judiciary, he led efforts to successfully adopt a uniform probate code, completely redrafting state election laws and unifying the state judicial system.

Dean and Betty traveled extensively and made several trips to Norway to learn more about their heritage. He was a longtime member of the Sons of Norway and other Norwegian heritage organizations.

Since the 1940s, he was an avid private pilot, flying Beechcraft Bonanzas. He nurtured his lifelong love of music as chairman of the Community Concert Association, singing bass for 50 years in the First Lutheran Choir and as a member of the Williston Chamber Chorale. He sang the title role in the 1974 community production of “The Mikado.”

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Betty; three daughters, DeAnn (Steve) Allen, Falls Church, Va., Andrea (Rick) Collin, Bismarck and Kirsten (Bruce) Eppinger, Victoria, Texas; and one son, Jonathan (Sumner), Peachtree City, Ga.; 11 grandchildren, Eric (Nicole) Allen, Greg Allen, Jocelyn Eppinger, Brenna Eppinger, Evan Eppinger, Sonja Collin, Elizabeth Collin, Karen Collin, Jonathan Winkjer Jr., Granville Winkjer and Amanda Winkjer; one great-grandson, Leif Allen; and several nephews and nieces, including Judy (Rick) Torgerson, Decorah, Iowa and Dr. Lawrence “Bubby” (Winifred) Carlson and Lynn Carlson, Rice Lake, Wis.; two sisters-in-law, Beverly (Tom) Gilman, Kalispell, Mont. and Carol (Jim) McKay, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jonathan and Amanda Winkjer; sister, Geneva Carlson Lyon and a niece, Linda Marie Carlson.

Memorials can be given to First Lutheran Church, 916 Main Street Williston, N.D., 58801, or the charity of the donor’s choice.