Chuck Weiser

Minot

Chuck Weiser, 82, rural Minot, died Friday, April 21, 2023 at his home.

Chuck was born on January 12, 1941 in Rugby to Philip and Janette (Young) Weiser. His first years were spent near Rugby until the family moved to Hazelton, ND.

Chuck married Marilyn Stein on July 8, 1967 in Great Bend, ND. They eventually made their home on 10-acres south of Surrey, where they raised three daughters, collected an impressive array of horticultural treasures and grew whole lot of cantaloupe.

Chuck attended Hazelton School, assisted on his parent’s small dairy farm and participated in 4-H activities.

Among Chuck’s 4-H contributions, he served as vice president of the North Dakota 4-H Institute, judged livestock shows including at the State Fair, helped host State Fair exhibitors BBQ’s and served as a ND 4-H Foundation director.

He attended North Dakota State University, graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Husbandry. He held positions as Ward County Assistant Extension Agent and County Agent for Grant County in Carson, ND. In 1966, Chuck returned to Minot to become an agriculture loan officer at American State Bank. He continued to serve as an advocate for ranching and farming families in his 36-year banking career at what would become Bremer Bank.

More than just the “Melon Man,” he was a well-respected horticulturist and steward of the land. As often as he could, he shared his extensive knowledge of crops, trees, flowers and animals. His enthusiasm for the innovative biocontrol of leafy spurge using flea beetles landed him in National Geographic magazine, PBS’s Nova and on NPR’s “All Things Considered”, all platforms he used to advocate for preservation of grasslands. He served decades on the Ward County Weed Board and North Dakota Weed Control Association, spending countless hours spraying noxious weeds and spreading beetles.

Chuck assisted with the building of Surrey’s Hope Lutheran Church and organized Minot Area Farmer’s Market. He served on the boards of Surrey Public School, North Dakota Bowhunters Association, Souris Valley Bowmen, Ward County Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee, North Dakota State Horticultural Society and Northwest Association of Horticulture.

Chuck’s garden was his masterpiece and he welcomed thousands of visitors over the years. He planted hundreds of new trees, shrubs and perennials every spring. He never shied from trying something new or moving a plant to a better location. Plants will continue to be delivered for months to come in his never-ending urge to fill every open space in the garden, up to and beyond his time on this earth. Chuck especially enjoyed giving people tours of his property, perusing plant catalogs and having coffee in the early morning and again in the afternoon with his friends. He also never missed a Weiser Family Reunion–visiting, telling stories and listening to the “old timers.”

Chuck was an artist beyond his gardens. He created welded iron and stone sculptures, rock and wood mobiles, wind chimes, cedar lamps and many different varieties of wine, which were shared with his fellow choristers at Renaissance Feasts during his 48 years singing with the Minot Chamber Chorale.

He loved helping his daughters and grandchildren with science fair experiments, art projects, American history reports and the discovery and appreciation of the natural world. He never stopped seeking knowledge and encouraged his family to do the same.

He was an avid archer and enthusiast of all activities that included camouflage outerwear and sitting in tree stands waiting for four-legged creatures. Countless weeks were spent hunting deer on the McNaney ranch near Grassy Butte, elk in Montana and bear in Canada with his many hunting partners. Chuck also hunted wildflowers with the same passion, which is evident in the unmatched collection in his garden.

He stuck to his convictions, never stopped learning, was generous with his time and did not quit working until the job was done.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children: Colette Weiser (Andy Knudson), Scandia, MN, Dana Weiser, Minot, Karla (Patrick) Walsh, Surrey; two grandchildren: Conrad and Nora; siblings: Myrth Guest, Ithaca, NY, Susan Erickson, Minot, David (Kerry) Weiser, Vancouver, WA, John (Jeanne) Weiser, Reno, NV, Tim Weiser, Bismarck, Russ (Karen) Weiser, Salt Lake City, UT; in-laws: Sylvia (Curt) Stoltenow, Hankinson, Bob Stein, Fargo, Stan (Cheryl) Stein, Great Bend, Jeff (Andrea) Stein, Hankinson; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and his 1954 Oliver 55 tractor.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, mother-in-law Helen Stein, father-in-law Elroy Stein, brothers-in-law Richard Guest and Arnold Erickson, and sister-in-law Karen Stein.

Celebration of the Life of Chuck Weiser: Friday, April 28, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Minot, ND. To view a livestream of the service or share memories and condolences access his obituary at www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Visitation: Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church in Surrey with a time of sharing to begin at 6:00 p.m. in the church.

Interment will be in his garden and at his favorite hunting ground in the North Dakota Badlands.

Memorials are preferred to Hope Lutheran Church and the Minot Chamber Chorale.

Arrangements entrusted to Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot

Published by The Minot Daily News, April 25, 2023.