Nyla Jean Dahl was born on September 19, 1935, the second of six girls, to Kermit and Violet (Danielson) Goar in Williston, North Dakota.

She graduated from Williston High School in 1953 as their homecoming queen before continuing her education at the University of North Dakota, where she joined Delta Gamma and studied to become a medical technologist. After graduating from UND in 1957, she put her degree to use, traveling to Illinois and California before returning home to Williston, where she worked at Mercy Hospital and Craven Hagen Clinic.

It was during her time in Williston she met Neil Dahl, and they later married in Billings, Montana, on February 12, 1960. Together they raised their two sons on the Dahl homestead south of Watford City. While the boys were growing up, she continued working in Williston in their early years and eventually took a part-time job at the McKenzie County Hospital in Watford City.

In 1985, Nyla started working at the Good Shepherd Home, first as the Activity Director, and then later as the administrator of the facility starting in 1986. While serving as the administrator, she worked on many improvements to the facility, including an activity room, a basic care unit, the addition of the Heritage Manor, the planning and building of the Horizon, where she was recently a resident, and the purchase of a bus for medical transportation, as well as leisure day trips for the residents. Under her direction, a parcel of land next to the Good Shepherd Home was purchased that now houses the current hospital as we know it. She was known for her compassion for residents in the facility as well as her dedication and fairness to her employees, many of whom she unknowingly inspired to seek an education in health care.

She enjoyed family gatherings at the lake and during the holidays, playing solitaire, working on sudoku and crossword puzzles, playing bridge with her friends, shopping, coffee with her friends after exercise class, the many trips to Hostfest, spending time and traveling with her sisters, gardening, and the birds that would frequent her bird bath and feeder. Perhaps her biggest enjoyment was spending time with her grandsons, whether it was coloring eggs and trick-or-treating when they were younger, or following them as they played basketball and baseball, performed in concerts, or received awards at high school banquets as they got older. She was their biggest fan.

Nyla was a member of Spring Creek Lutheran Church until it closed and then joined Watford City First Lutheran. She was an advocate for senior citizens through the Senior Citizen’s Program and Silver Haired Legislature, traveling the state to represent them and their needs on their behalf. She was an active member of the Sons of Norway and the Wellness Center.

Nyla was called home on the morning of August 18, 2026, at the Good Shepherd Home in Watford City.

She is survived by her sons, Nevin (Laura) Dahl, and Nathan Dahl of Watford City; grandchildren, Neil Dahl and Nolan Dahl of Watford City; sisters, Linda Ydstie of Williston, Susie (Mick) Moberg of Fargo, and Judy (Ed) Lodwig of Williston; numerous nieces and nephews; and great, great great, and great great great nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Neil Dahl; parents, Kermit and Violet Goar; sisters, Janet Williams and Kay Johnson; brothers-in-law, Arlyn Ydstie and Doug Williams; as well as her parents-in-law, Nils and Emma Dahl; and all her Dahl brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Memorial Contribution