Alan P. Honeyman
Alan P. Honeyman
Alan Honeyman, age 81, of Regent, ND passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Mott, ND.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 am on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 at St. Henry's Catholic Church in Regent with Fr. Stephen Folorunso officiating. Burial will follow at the Regent Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 4th starting at 5pm until the time of the Rosary and Wake service at 7pm all at St. Henry's Church in Regent.
Alan Paul Honeyman was born to Earl and Nora (Kouba) Honeyman on January 12, 1937 in Regent, ND. He graduated from Regent High School. On January 12, 1959 he married Irene Amann of Mott, ND. They had five children; daughter Marla and four boys Gary, Ron, Russ, and Joel.
Starting from an empty field, Alan and Irene built their home and ranch known as "Stoney Butte Ranch", located 8 miles north of Regent. While building a farming and ranching operation, Alan served five years of military service in the ND National Guard and was called to active duty in 1961 during the Berlin Wall Crisis where the family lived for one year in Fort Collins, Colorado. After an honorable discharge from the military, Alan resumed farming and ranching. He built an expansive cattle operation that included raising champion Registered Polled Hereford cattle. Alan and the family showed and won numerous cattle shows including the Denver and Houston stock shows. But Alan's greatest passion was farming, where he took incredible pride at being the best, whether that was raising the biggest crop, having the cleanest field, or the straightest rows. Obsessed with watching clouds, Alan told one and all that he was a "self-proclaimed meteorologist." He continued to farm actively until the time of his death and took pride in knowing that his son Gary, daughter-in-law Tia, and grandson Carter continue to carry on the Honeyman family farm tradition.
In later years, Alan's art became his passion. He took up oil painting and made numerous works of art on canvas, saw blades, and antique crocks. He took particular pleasure in designing and building metal art sculptures of all shapes and sizes. His "bale man" sculpture was so popular that it became the inspiration for the Enchanted Highway, now a well-known ND landmark. And anyone who received one of his limericks knew, he was also quite a poet.
Alan especially enjoyed the outdoors, particularly pheasant and deer hunting. He and Irene ran a bed and breakfast for pheasant hunters in the area for many years, and they loved to go fishing with their children and grandchildren.
Alan was quick witted with a great sense of humor, and he never missed an opportunity to play pinochle or gamble whether that was playing pull tabs or shaking dice. He enjoyed the thrill of interacting with others and especially winning their money.
Grateful for sharing in Alan's life are his wife of 58 years Irene, of Regent; daughter Marla (Kevin) Muth, Lincoln, ND; sons Gary (Tia) Honeyman, Regent;Ron (Stacey) Honeyman, Fargo, ND; Russ (Deb) Honeyman, Bismarck, ND; and Joel (Stephanie) Honeyman, Fargo, ND; 15 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, brother, Julius (Caroline) Honeyman, Regent; sisters Angie Rixen, Minot, ND; and Claudia (Vern) Krebs, Bismarck, ND; brother-in-law Jim Anderson, Regent, ND; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Alan was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Nora Honeyman, sister Rosella Anderson, grandson Mitchell Muth, and brother-in-law Neil Rixen.
Condolences may be sent through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com