Patricia J. Idler, 69, of Reno, NV, formerly of Alexander, ND passed away August 14, 2023 at the Haven-Roberts Hospice Care Center in Palatka, FL.

Patricia Joanne (Dwyer) Idler was born February 19, 1954 in Williston, North Dakota to Thomas (Lester) Dwyer and Edla (James) Dwyer. She went home to their farm five miles south of Alexander to join her three siblings Benjamin, Robert, and Elizabeth. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood growing up on the family farm, swimming in the stock dam and roaming the countryside with her dog and best friend Prince. She was active in 4-H in her formative years and participated in various oratorical contests. Her life was impacted significantly by a summer she spent at the Grafton State School as a Junior in high school helping to take care of its intellectually challenged residents. She was selected as the National Spring Wheat Queen and participated in the Miss North Dakota Pageant where she was awarded Miss Congeniality. All of us who knew Patty would not be surprised by this award. She graduated from Alexander High School in 1972 and matriculated at the University of North Dakota (UND) that same fall. She attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology in 1976. She enrolled in graduate school and attained a Master’s Degree in Learning Disabilities.

While at UND she met her future husband, Randy Idler. They were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alexander North Dakota July 5th, 1974. They moved to Bellevue, Nebraska where she set up the first self-contained Learning Disabilities classroom in the school district. They then moved to Tucson, Arizona where she was a Learning Disabilities consultant for the Marana Unified School District. The next stop was Salt Lake City, Utah where she again functioned as a Learning Disabilities teacher for the Canyon School District. Finally, in 1982 they moved to Reno, Nevada, where in December of that year, she gave birth to her first beautiful boy, Rory. Two and a half years later it was time for another miracle and Randy Keegan was ushered into the world. Patty elected to give up her career as a resource teacher and devote all her efforts to raising her family. She was a passionately devoted mother, focusing her seemingly bottomless energy reserves on providing for her boys. Whether it was becoming a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day, a witch for Halloween, or a Gypsie crystal ball gazer, she was always there for Rory and Keegan. She was also active in Junior League, but her real passion was the Northern Nevada International Center (NNIC). She opened up her home for many years to host Eastern Block participants in the center’s educational programs. She served as the President of the Board of Governors of the NNIC as was later given the status of Member Emeritus.

Near the end of the war with Afghanistan she became increasingly dismayed by the number of US servicemen being killed and maimed by terrorist attacks with IEDs and suicide bombers. To stop this, she started a non-profit organization to allow widowed Afghan women to provide for their families and thus lessen the likelihood of their children being recruited by an Islamic Extremist madras and enticed to become a suicide bomber. Her plan was to pay the women to manufacture footwear in their homes which could be sold in the US with any profits given back to the widows. The name of the NGO was Boots for Peace.

She had a special relationship with her sister Beth and her family, but we are all going to miss her boundless energy, kind heart and warm smile.

Patty was preceded in death by her son Rory, brother Benjamin, and her parents Thomas and Edla Dwyer. She is survived by her husband Randy Idler, son Keegan (Lindsay) Idler, sister Elizabeth (Tim) Hermanson and brother Robert (Deborah) Dwyer.

Memorial Contribution