Jesse Charles (Jack) Dyer

Sept. 19, 1924 – June 24, 2017

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The world lost a great American and an amazing human being in the early morning hours of June 24, 2017. Jack Dyer lived a long, amazing and adventurous life; always learning and always teaching, with his near flawless memory of his 92 years on earth. He lived a life of service to our great nation and to the entire world, helping rid the world of evil during his time in the US Navy during WWII and literally venturing into the unknown, exploring the unexplored for decades, creating countless topo maps for the United States Geological Survey so that every man, woman and child can also explore the great wilderness areas America has to offer. He was an extraordinary bad-ass in every sense of the term. Jack’s last assignment with the USGS was mapping one of the seven Natural Wonders of the world; The Grand Canyon, in northern Arizona. He is and will always be an American Legend.
Jesse Charles Dyer was the fourth child born to James Denton Dyer and Wynona Marguerite (Taylor) Dyer on Sept. 19, 1924 in Springfield, Colo. Nicknamed “Jack” by his Grandad Taylor, it was the name by which we all knew and loved him.
Jack went to grade school in Pritchett, Colo. After completing eighth grade, he moved to Naturita, Colo. He attended Nucla High School and was the quarterback for their football team all four years. He served in the United States Navy during WWII aboard the USS Cabot, as a Torpedo Man’s Mate First Class. Jack began working for the United States Geological Survey in July of 1947 and retired in June of 1985, having moved 110 times during his wonderful career. He met Ella Mae Allan in Lordsburg, N.M. during the spring of 1958; they married in Aspen, Colo. in August of 1959. The couple had three children all born in different states, Jim in McKinney, Texas, Nona in Grand Junction, Colo. and Allan in Lordsburg, N.M. Jack and Mae made Page their home for 39 years.
Jack survived the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, bronc and bull riding, the Pacific Theater in WWII, being struck by lightning on a high mountain peak in Montana, running over a bull in a Datsun B210, rolling a Jeep in Canyon Lands and countless other mishaps through the years. It was prostate cancer that finally took him to join those who came and went before him.
Jack had a great love for a lot of things: His God, his wife, Ella Mae, his children and grandsons, his vast extended family, his country, the United States of America, the Page community, the beautiful blue color of the sky, after a summer thunderstorm on a 14,000-foot peak in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, a medium rare, grass-fed, beef ribeye steak from Scott Ranch, vanilla ice cream, snickerdoodles and Jelly Bellies. His favorite saying was, “Horse sense and common sense equal gumption.” He always was and will always be a gumption cowboy, never without his boots, belt and hat.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, James Denton Dyer and Wynona Marguerite (Taylor) Dyer; his five brothers and sisters, Janice, Jim, Elsie, Ellen and Bob; and his wife of 57 years, Ella Mae (Allan) Dyer. He is survived by his three children, Jesse James Dyer of Fairbanks, Alaska, Wynona Lee Dyer and husband, Richard Thomas Sullins, of Gilbert and Jack Allan Dyer of Napa, Calif.; his three grandsons, Travis Michael McInerney, US Air Force, Warner- Robins AFB, Georgia, Jacob Allan Dyer, US Air Force, Shepard AFB, Texas and Ryan Michael Dyer, future Airman, of Napa, Calif.
Jack was looked up to by so many people who had the pleasure to know him as well as many whom he never met. He is and always will be our hero, our inspiration to succeed and live the best, most adventurous life that we can live. He is everywhere we go in the wilderness, and he always will be. He is in every topo map we love, and he always will be. He has gone before us to map the Mansions of Heaven.  
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18, at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, 2830 Riverside Parkway, Grand Junction, Colo. With the Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard providing Honorary Military Funeral services.
A special thank you to grandson Travis Michael McInerney and family friend Deb Moerash for their beautiful words, forever memorializing an American legend, a true hero, a fantastic friend, an amazing husband and extraordinary bad-ass Dad and Granddad, Jesse Charles (Jack) Dyer.