Erven "Erv" W. Skaar

Erven Wayne Skaar, 92, peacefully passed on to be with Jesus on Monday, January 22, 2024 in Cambridge, MN, leaving behind a legacy and life that exemplified the fruits of the spirit in which he radiated love and gentleness.

Born to Ole and Olga (Nelson) Skaar on January 31, 1931, Erven and his seven siblings were 3rd generation stewards of the Skaar homestead in Thief River Falls, a piece of land whose history stretches back to 1885. A graduate of Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls and University of Minnesota College of Agriculture, Erven received his Bachelor of Science degree with a specialty in animal husbandry and crops. Here, he cultivated a deep passion for Agricultural Science that led him to return to the family farm in Thief River Falls. During this time, he was recruited to be a University of Minnesota Extension Agent with Agriculture and 4-H youth development for five years at Long Prairie, MN, Todd County. The next part of his career spanned 26 years in Cambridge, MN, where he worked as an Extension Agent with Agriculture and 4-H Youth Development in Isanti County. During this time, he served as President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Agricultural Extension Educators, a life member Epsilon Sigma Phi, and carried his 4-H Alumni interest to the U of M Extension Service Vintage 4-H retiree alumni group. His academic journey led him to earn a Master of Science in Agriculture from the University of Minnesota early in his tenure, further solidifying his expertise in the field he cherished. Erven's earnest connection to the land and his commitment to agricultural science became a cornerstone of his identity.