Tim Adair - "The Well Driller"

Tim’s service will be livestreamed below at 2:00 pm, Saturday, April 12, 2025

Tim Adair, “The Well Driller”, passed peacefully at CHI Lisbon Health early morning on April 5, 2025.

Retired to be with our Lord.

Tim was born in Breckenridge Minnesota to Doris Ferguson Adair and Rollin Charles Adair, the second son to a third generation water well driller. The Adairs moved from Barney North Dakota to Walcott North Dakota in 1950 at age eight. At age twelve, Tim drilled his first water well. Tim graduated from Walcott high school in 1960 and worked for his dad drilling water wells. In 1961 Tim joined the US Navy and was commissioned to several air craft carriers – USS Wasp, USS Independence, and the USS Forestall. His navy highlight was being on the craft that picked up the Apollo astronauts returning from landing on the moon. Like many sailors, Tim was exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.

In 1963, Tim met Sharon Gazda and began a courtship. They were married January 30, 1965, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Tim and Sharon had two children, Tim Jr and Stacey Jo and made their home in Walcott until 1976 when they moved to Oakes due to the irrigation and farming industry. In the early 1980s, Tim tried his hands in the North Dakota oil fields “seismographing” – or oil and natural gas exploration. This venture ultimately cost him his drilling business. Over the next 35 years, Tim re-invented himself in Montana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. During this timeframe, Tim mentored and taught the well drilling trade to many young men. He took great pride in producing “Sand Free” water. Water is Life’s Necessity! Ask yourself – how vital is water?

In October 2022, Tim retired to Maryhill Manor in Enderlin North Dakota where he lived until his death on April 5, 2025. Tim was preceded in death by his mother, father, brothers Mark, Cecil, and Thomas and sister Joan. He is survived by his wife Sharon, daughter Stacey Rude (Chad), and son Tim (Denise), grandchildren Jessica Voit (Tyler), Alexis Rude, Roy Rude, Vernon Rude, and great grandson Oliver Voit and sisters Patricia (Este Jensen), Elaine Erickson, and Diane (Virgil Sistad).