Dwight E. Dyer

Dwight E. Dyer 1931 - 2019

Former Nevada journalist and long time U.S. senate staffer Dwight Edgar Dyer passed away peacefully at Leewood Nursing Center in Annandale, VA on December 5, 2019, at the age of 88. Dyer was born in San Diego, CA in 1931. While growing up he lived on several different cities in California. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 and served for four years, including combat service in Korea. He attended Shasta College in Redding, CA before earning a B.A in Journalism from the University of Nevada/Reno in 1957. He married his wife, the former Nancy Jayne Elliott, in 1956.

Dyer began a career in journalism on 1958 and worked for four years as an Associated Press Correspondent in Reno, Carson City, and San Francisco. From 1962 to 1964 he was the News Director and Evening News Anchor at KCRL TV, the NBC affiliate in Reno.

In 1964, he began a long career as a U.S. Senate staffer, first serving as Press Secretary to Nevada Sen. Alan Bible. From 1968 to 1972 he was Legislative Assistant to Senate Bible. From 1972 to 1981 he served as Staff Director for the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee under the chairmanship of Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia. From 1981 to 1986 he served as Staff Director for the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee under the chairman of Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. Following his retirement from the Senate he founded and ran a consulting firm.

In retirement, the Dyers traveled and resided over the years in Florida, Maryland, West Virginia, South Carolina and Virginia.

Dyer was preceded in death by his wife Nancy in 2008.

He is survived by daughter Cheri Cleland, and her husband Doug, of Bradenton, FL; sons Alan Dyer of St. Petersburg, FL and Curtis Dyer and wife Teresa, of Alexandra, VA; grandchildren Sean Cleland and wife LeeAnn, of Jacksonville, FL; Marshall Dyer and wife Becca, of South Lake Tahoe, CA; Brittany Dyer and husband Gilbert, of North Fork, CA, and great- grandchildren Nicholas Cleland, Nathan Cleland and wife Danielle, and Keeley Cleland, of Jacksonville, FL.

Dyer suffered from Alzheimer's Disease late in life and decided to further research on the disease by making an organ donation to the Georgetown University Medical Center Memory Disorder Program.

The family respects Dyer's wishes not to hold a formal memorial ceremony and requests donations to your favorite charities in his name. 

The family welcomes any memories you'd like to share about the life of this outstanding journalist and congressional staffer, who served his country.