CHOTEAU, Mont. — Private family services for Eddy Cyphers, 65, of Choteau, Mont., formerly of Fairmont, Minn., will be held at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. Those wishing to view the livestream of the service can follow the livestream link https://client.tribucast. com/tcid/62492811 at noon Friday, Oct. 16, 2020.

Friends are invited to join the family in celebrating the memory of Eddy from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, at his childhood home, 103 Oxford St., in Fairmont. Burial will be 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, at Lakeside Cemetery.

Eddy passed away Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, trying to make the world a better place while volunteering in Liberia, Africa.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements. The family asks that people are mindful of social distancing guidelines, wearing masks and best practices in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 along with the number of visitors in attendance monitored.

Eddy Howard Cyphers was born March 4, 1955, in Blue Earth, Minn., the 4th of 8 children born to Howard and Elaine Cyphers. As a young boy, Eddy grew up in Lakota, Iowa, before moving with his family to Thompson, Iowa, and Bricelyn, Minn. In 1970, Eddy moved to Fairmont, where he attended Fairmont High School and graduated with the class of 1974, awarded the nickname of “Fast Eddy.

On Sept. 18, 1976, Eddy was united in marriage to Julie Baumgart in Sherburn, Minn. To this union, two children were born, Lucas and Katie.

After the couple divorced, Eddy was united in marriage to Cheryl (Prafke) Traver on May 17, 1986, in Fairmont, Minn., which gifted him with three stepchildren. In 1994, Eddy and Cheryl were blessed with a daughter, Michalia. It was clear that supporting each child was important to him by how loudly he cheered at events.

Eddy loved being raised on a farm and growing up in a filling station. He loved the feeling of a hard day’s work and continued farming for many years. In addition to farming, Eddy worked maintenance and was never afraid to chase a dream with his entrepreneurial and adventurous spirit. He was a jack of all trades and was always willing to teach anyone the “country custom” way to improve things.

Eddy took fashion cues from no one taking pride in his unique style. He traveled throughout the U.S. in his “cottage on wheels” pulled by his one of a kind 1986 Ford Bronco. At each stop on his trips, he would seek out community activities with live music at the top of his list. He spent a considerable amount of time in Montana, where he went back to school and attained his associate degree in business administrative management from Montana State University in 2016.

In 2017, Eddy retired but still could be found helping with farm work in the fall. Eddy had a passion for helping others and in 2016, he joined the Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa. When arriving home, he knew his work was not done in Africa and started working with a non-profit matter on a program called “Farm in a Box.” His travels took him from Senegal to Zimbabwe and Liberia, where he taught communities how to garden/farm with small tractors while working with more non-profits such as Gorgui Foundation and Hope 4 Orphanage. When Eddy wasn’t in Africa, he was gathering and refurbishing donated antique farm equipment to ship in a cargo container to Africa or worked with Eight Days of Hope. He used his time to make many new friends and learn new things while growing daily in his faith.

Left to cherish his memory are his children, Lucas (Sara) Cyphers of Fairmont, Minn., Michalia (Ryan Fritchman) Cyphers of Truman, Minn.; grandchildren, Gage Cyphers of Fairmont, Faith and Tyler Poppe of Northrop, Minn.; siblings, Glenn (Jane) Cyphers of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Becky (John) Wohlford of Monticello, Minn., Nora Voss of North Mankato, Minn., LeAnn (Michael) McCormick of Oregon City, Ore., Ruth Cyphers of Fairmont, Carol (Mike) Nowicki of East Chain, Minn., and Shirley (Kip) Willis of Kalispell, Mont.; stepchildren, Tabitha Jeffries of Mankato, Minn., Aaron Traver of Phoenix, Ariz., and Helena Zea of Mankato; 17 nieces and nephews; 24 great-nieces and nephews; and many others who called him Uncle Eddy.

Eddy was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Elaine Cyphers; and daughter, Katie (Cyphers) Poppe.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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