March 31, 1957 – June 5, 2026

Timothy Paul Ganyo, 69, passed away on Friday, June 5, 2026, after a courageous six-and-a-half-year battle with non-small cell lung cancer.

Tim was born on March 31, 1957, in Grafton, North Dakota, to Willard Paul and Marlene Frances Ganyo. He grew up in Grafton, where he attended school and was active in both hockey and football. During his high school years, he also worked as a lifeguard at the local swimming pool.

Tim proudly served his country for more than three decades. He enlisted in the United States Air Force on December 4, 1977, and served until 1981, with an assignment at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Following his active-duty service, he joined the Air National Guard while attending North Dakota State University. Later, seeking a new opportunity, Tim joined the Air Force Reserve and relocated to Northern California, where he served at Travis Air Force Base as a flight engineer aboard the C-5 aircraft.

Throughout his distinguished military career, Tim was activated numerous times and served in support of multiple military operations around the world, often flying into war zones. He treasured the friendships he made with his fellow airmen and took great pride in serving alongside the members of the 312th. Tim retired from the United States Air Force Reserve on June 1, 2010.

Committed to lifelong learning, Tim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology in August 2003. Following his military retirement, he worked in the laboratory at Shell Oil Company in Martinez, California.

Tim spent more than 40 years in Northern California, where he met his wife, Roxanne. They shared 34 wonderful years of marriage. He was a devoted husband, a supportive stepdad, and a loving grandpa who cherished time spent with his family.

Tim was a passionate fan of University of North Dakota hockey and proudly remained loyal to the Fighting Sioux throughout his life. He was also a member of the Solano Yacht Club and enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie he found there.

Tim is survived by his mother, Marlene Dvorak; his beloved wife, Roxanne Ganyo; his stepchildren, Ryan Brown, Chad (Tonya) Brown, Jaime Wolf (Dave), and Kristy Brown (Devin); his grandchildren, Calleigh Brown, Jaxon Brown, Taya Wolf, and Jordyn Brown; his brothers, Mark (Rhonda) Ganyo and Michael Ganyo; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Willard Paul Ganyo; and his brothers, Ray Ganyo and Philip Ganyo. Tim will be remembered for his strength, dedication, patriotism, sense of adventure, and unwavering love for his family and friends. His presence will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew him.

Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Bryan-Braker Funeral Home Chapel, 1850 West Texas Street, Fairfield, CA

A ceremony with military honors will be held at 12:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California, where Tim will be laid to rest.

TEMPE, AZ – JANUARY 02: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes holds the football from the trophy after the Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium on January 2, 2006 in Tempe, Arizona. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 34-20. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

It’s an annual tradition, a sensation of the summertime – the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, a weekend-long congregation of vendors, crafters, makers and entertainers, ushering in the season with food and fun.

“It’s a huge event, an entire weekend completely free, everything is completely free – granted, you know, we have the carnival, we have a full slate of activities, (but) there’s something for everyone,” John Sterling, Vice President of the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, told the Capital Journal. “We have a magician going right now, earlier she was doing balloon animals, there was a canine show, they were doing canine stunts.”

Oahe Days consists of shows, food, the carnival section and a diverse collection of vendor tents, selling everything from knives and kitchenware to fresh-baked bread, vintage antique pottery, jewelry, stones and crystals, artwork to spices.

The air rings with peals of laughter as children race from magic shows to ferris wheels and adults indulge in fried food, funnel cakes, gyros and barbecue. In a town where families remain the cornerstone of community culture, Oahe Days is evident in its focus on family-friendly-fun.

“I think this is a fantastic community event and it brings out children, families and everybody and I think this is critical to the future of Pierre and Central South Dakota,” Kevin Larsen of Pierre/Fort Pierre Kiwanis said. “This is really one of those community activities that has sustained for many years and I’d like to encourage more volunteers. That’s what makes this event a success, the volunteers.”

The event relies on volunteers to help in the unsung and unseen logistics of something on this scale, and the organizers of Oahe Days echoed the need for the community to continue to invest time and money to keep the beloved event alive.

Iain Woessner

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“There is a call for volunteers,” Julie Diedrich, President of the Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival, said. “If you are a local business and you want to contribute to making this a free event, we’re always open to donations and (regarding volunteers), it can be a little or just volunteering throughout the weekend.”

It’s not just in the official elements that the community works to keep Oahe Days going – beloved events are organized and integrated into the Festival by members of the community themselves, demonstrating the collaborative spirit of the event. This is best exemplified by the Soggy Bottom Race, a cardboard boat race that had once been held every year before going on an extended hiatus, only to have been revived last year by locals who missed it.

“I think that Oahe Days is such a good event, it brings everybody down here, and I used to participate in the cardboard boat race myself, I always had a ton of fun building the boats and it’s super fun. We thought it was something that had been missing,” Blake Severyn with the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota, told the Capital Journal.

The Soggy Bottom Race serves nonprofits in the area as well, with entry fees going to a different organization each year, this year supporting Soterra. Boats are judged both on the skill of their crews in navigating the river as they race to the other shore and also on their craftsmanship, with each cardboard boat boasting a unique and fun design.

Of course, half the fun is wondering which of the colorful cardboard crafts will actually prove seaworthy.

“Some of them won’t make it more than six feet and some of them will make it all the way,” Severyn said.

The spirit fueling Oahe Days, from its concerts to its competitions, is one of local pride.

“This is our event, it is the event of the summer in Pierre, it kicks off summer officially and it’s what people look forward to year after year,” Sterling said.

Iain Woessner is the editor of the Capital Journal in Pierre, South Dakota. Iain can be reached by calling 605-307-5502, ext. 5012, or emailing Iain.woessner@capjournal.com.