DR. THEODORE R. PIER

Dr. Theodore R. (“Ted”) Pier passed away in Minneapolis January 8th. His death resulted from a fall in his home. Ted had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease years ago, and he suffered throughout his affliction with great dignity. He was 75 years old.

Ted was the third of four sons born to Elsie and Philip Pier.Thefamilywaslivingin Yankton, where Philip was a bankerwithAmericanState Bank.Intheearly1950sPhilip’s father, T.C. Pier, asked him to move to Avon to help T.C. and Philip’s brother RalphrunCommunityBank. In 1953 the family moved to Avon. Ted attended all 12 years of his schooling in the Avon public school system, graduating in 1966; he was an outstanding scholar. He wasactiveindebateandwith his teammates captured the South Dakota State Debate Championship runner-up trophy; he was active in numerous other extra curricular activities. Upon graduation from high school he enrolled in the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities Campus) where hisexcellentacademicachievements continued. While an undergraduate at the U of M Ted met his bride to be: Betsy (Elizabeth) Robinson of Great Falls, MT. They married in 1974.

Upon graduation from college, Ted began medical school attheUniversityofMinnesota. Aftergraduatingfrommedical schoolhewasawardedahighly prestigious one year surgical internship at UCSF medical center in San Francisco. Following thathereturnedtoMinnesota to enter the residency program in ophthalmology at U of M. He was then hired as a partner into an established eye care practice with three ophthalmologists in Minneapolis. Ted specialized in eye care for pediatric children and premature babies but he also provided routine eye and surgery care for all patients. He eventually took over the practiceastheotherphysicians reached retirement.

Ted was an avid hunter (mostly pheasants, ducks, and geese) and fisherman (anything that was biting, though he probably loved dry fly fishing above all). He and Betsy purchased a home on Flathead Lake in Montana where they entertainedfamilyandfriends during the summer season. He and Betsy loved to travel and visit new places in the states and around the world. Ted was also an avid reader, from the great classics to murder mysteries and spy stories.

Tedissurvivedbyhisloving wife Betsy (Elizabeth) Robinson; Fur-son, BuzzB of Edina, MN; brother, Jeff Pier of Arlington, VA; brothers-in-law, DougRobinson(Diane),ReedF. Robinson(Ann),andRossRobinson, alloftheTwinCitiesand Ted Robinson (Stephanie) of Kalamazoo, MI; sisters-in-law, Linda (Tom) Pier of Yakama, WA, Nancy Pier of Gilbert, AZ, andPatriciaMeiers(Fred)Pier, Carbondale, CO; favorite nieces and nephews, Leslie Huang (Greg), Christina Pier Cronin (Scott), Catherine Bianchi (Tony), Michael Pier, Jonathan Pier, Reed M. (Nora) Robinson, Alex (Joy) Robinson, Peter Robinson, Maggi Robinson, Grant Robinson, Courtney (Scott) Raecker and fur-nephew, Toby Robinson.Precededindeath by: parents, Philip and Elsie Pier;brothers,TomandFred Pier. Memorial service will be announced later. Burial will take place in Lakeside, MT,(MP99).Inlieuofflowers, memorials may be made in Ted's name to: Glacier Park Conservancy, PO Box 2749, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.

Further information about Ted can be found at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune website:https://www. startribune.com/obituaries/ detail/0000447934/