David Clarke Fairbrother, age 99 of Towner, North Dakota died Friday, May 15, 2015 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby.

He was born in the family farm home of his parents northeast of Towner to Ernest and Rose (Wagar) Fairbrother on February 18, 1916. He was the youngest of seven children by 17 years.  He graduated from Towner High School and the University of Southern California with a degree in accounting.  On July 12, 1940, in was united in marriage to Vera McCombs in Phoenix, Arizona.  Following their marriage, David took over the farm his father had homesteaded in 1898. He acquired additional land over the years and focused on growing improved seed varieties. In the 1960’s he expanded his seed cleaning business to a building he designed to operate the seed cleaning equipment as efficiently as possible.  The seed plant also provided storage of projects as they were processed. David also prepared tax returns and provided accounting services. He lived on the farm almost his entire life.

David was the leader of the organization of Wagar Township in McHenry County. He and Vera loved to travel around the United States, visiting relatives in California, Florida, Washington, Texas, New York and Wisconsin, eventually getting to 48 states, many tourist attractions and several World’s Fairs.  Vera died July 28, 2005.

He is survived by his son Clarke and his wife, Andrea, grandson John Fairbrother and his wife, Chelsea and their two sons, Ethan and Logan, all live in Santa Ana, California. David also has three nieces, Cindy Martin, Pat Fairbrother, and Kay Sharpe; grandnephew, Bruce Fairbrother of Towner; grandnieces, Brenda Sweeney, Beth McCrae, Laurel Kaae and Lynn Conell; niece-in-law, Virginia Hill Fairbrother; and several great grandnieces and nephews.

Memorials in his memory may be directed to the Union Cemetery Association C/o P.O. Box 486 – Towner, ND   58788

Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 21^st in the Union Cemetery of Towner.  Mr. Wally Fretland, officiating.  There will be no reviewal or visitation.