HARLEY (ED) WEYDT 2005

Harley E. (Ed) Weydt, 88, of Missoula, died at his home on February 13, of natural causes.
Ed was born in Red Lodge, Mont. in 1916 to Harley W. Weydt and Mabel Andrews Weydt. Ed lived in Red Lodge for 81 years. He was educated in Red Lodge public schools.
From 1940-1945, Ed served in the United States Army. After completing officers training school, he was stationed in the southwest Pacific where he served as an administrator in the Adjutant General’s office.
Ed married Mary Alberi, also of Red Lodge, in 1942. They raised three children.
After the war, Ed returned to Red Lodge where he expanded his wholesale gas and oil business. He distributed products throughout Carbon and Stillwater counties, Billings and Cooke City. Ed made several thousand trips over the Beartooth Highway, often inviting his friends and neighbors to accompany him. Second only to his family, he loved the Beartooth Mountains, and spent untold hours exploring the wilderness, first as a boy, with his family, by horseback, later by foot, jeep and snowmobile. He was an avid fisherman, and knew the myriad lakes and streams of the Beartooth by heart.
Ed had many talents. A meticulous fine woodworker, he made beautifully finished furniture, bowls, plates and salt and pepper shakers. In 1981, Ed built a beautiful classical guitar for his son-in-law, Michael Lorimer, who is a world famous classical guitarist. He built a cabin in Cooke City, doing all aspects of the design and construction. He may have been cribbage and billiards champion of a 4-5-block area of northwest Red Lodge.
Ed had an extraordinary memory and in his later years spent many hours telling his family about their history and the history of Red Lodge. He was a kind and generous man, spending time in his retirement years helping and caring for neighbors and old friends in declining health. Ed and Mary moved to Missoula in 2003, to be close to family.
Ed is survived by Mary, his childhood sweetheart of 73 years, three children - Joe, Missoula (son Kramer), Judy Lorimer (Michael, daughter Cari) New York City, Andy (Alice, sons Patrick and A.J., daughter Nicole), Mankato, Minnesota, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place.
A family memorial will be held at a later date.

FROM Grandson Patrick:

I ran across your blog and web site for Cooke City. I have not been back to Cooke in far too long and am looking forward to returning this July with my dad. Let me take a step back. My name is Patrick and I am
one of Ed Weydt's 5 grand children. As a child, I spent a lot of time in the Cabin that Ed and his son, Andy (my father) built behind the Exxon station. When Ed was in good health, I relished taking Jeep rides to Lake Abundance, Little Saw Tooth, Island Lake, etc. with Grandpa and my dad and then head into the Park for some ribs at Roosevelt Lodge

Ed and his wife, Mary, moved to an assisted living center in Missoula to be close to their eldest son Joe, the Dr.. Ed suffered from emphysema, strokes and passed due to complications from cancer. Mary still lives in the center and is adjusting to life without Ed.

Ed loved Red Lodge, Cooke City and the Bear Tooth Mountains. He always regretted moving north to Missoula and missed the mountains around Cooke. I appreciate that you captured his and Nick's story. Ed would be pleased that others are learning the history of Cooke's beginnings as they are quite colorful and the real love of his life.

If you ever need more information regarding Nick or Ed, let me know. I'll put you in contact with his sons, Joe, in Missoula, and Andy (my father), who lives in MN.