Sidney Connell

Sidney T. Connell, age 97, of Beach, North Dakota , formerly of Medora, North Dakota, was called to Heaven on September 12, 2006 at St. JosephÂ’s Hospital in Dickinson, North Dakota. A Memory Service will be held at 3:00 P.M., Friday, September 15, 2006 in the Chapel of the Angels at the Golden Valley Manor in Beach. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, September 16, 2006 in the Medora Community Center in Medora with the Reverend Paul Peterson officiating. Interment will be in the Medora Cemetery. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Beach is entrusted with arrangements. Sid was born December 17, 1908 on the TIX Ranch south of Medora, a son of Dan and Olive (Syverson) Connell. Sid was educated in rural Billings County traveling on horseback or by boat when the Little Missouri River was flooded. He and his siblings also stayed in the old TIX ranch house when the river was impassible, as school was always on "the other side of the river". He attended high school in Dickinson, boarding with various families and rarely got home during the school year, graduating with the class of 1927. After high school, Sid went into partnership on the home ranch with his father and brother. In 1932, the partnership was split and Sid ranched alone for seven years. In 1939 he purchased the present ranch and traveled to California to pay the taxes. He worked for a rancher there who ran cattle in the High Sierras. Sid married Doris on March 17, 1941, and moved out to California where Sid worked on the Shasta Dam project. They returned to the ranch the following year and lived in a small log cabin on the ranch which still stands today. Their daughter Sydney was born in 1942. Sid was always a forward thinker, owning one of the first tractors in his neighborhood, building an irrigation system on the ranch hay land and making several other ranch improvements. He added more land to the ranch over the years until it was one of the larger privately owned ranches on the river. He was interested in the "modern" way of doing things, but looked to preserve the history of the area too. Sid was active in many Billings and Golden Valley County boards including the Billings County Weed Board, Water Resource Board and Little Missouri Scenic River Commission. He was a lifetime member of the Billings County Historical Society. Sid was a Mason and he and Doris were both involved with the Eastern Star. They were members of the Sentinel Butte Lutheran Church. They enjoyed going to town or neighboring ranches for events and gatherings, and were square dancers and avid card players. In 1973 Sid "retired" and he and Doris built a house overlooking the river. They both enjoyed a huge garden and Sid spent many productive hours on a tractor helping with the haying, or on his John Deere Gator, fencing or just enjoying being out with the cattle in the Badlands he loved so much. Numerous filled guest books attest to the visitors who always found a pot of coffee or iced tea and fresh cookies at the kitchen table. Sid loved to tell stories of the "old days" and always remembered his visitors, where they were from, what they did, and their families as well. Until the end of his life, his mind was clear and his memory enviable by the younger generations. His first question to folks from out of state or overseas was usually "So, how do you like our country?" Sid and Doris moved to the Golden Valley Manor in 2003. Doris passed away in September of 2004. Sid will be sorely missed by his family and many friends. He was a man of true character and honor, going gently through life with humor and dignity. In his passing, the area has lost one of its last links to the early days of Medora and the Little Missouri River Community. Sid was preceeded in death by his wife, Doris (Kinmark), his parents, brother Lester, and sisters Blanche, Nora (OÂ’Hearn), Edna "Goldie" (Nutter) and one great granddaughter. He is survived by his daughter, Sydney (George) Hegge living on the ranch south of Medora, granddaughters Sherri Ross of Medora and Tina (Jim) Pelissier from Oakland, Oregon, grandson, Bob (MaryBeth) Chamberlain Jr. of Lewistown, Montana, seven great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren. His sister Evelyn (Neuens) resides in Bismarck. Many cousins are living all around the country. Memorials can be made to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora and the Golden Valley Manor in Beach.

Sidney Connell

December 17, 1908 - September 16, 2006

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

Sidney Connell

December 17, 1908 - September 16, 2006

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support