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|  Longstanding Crosslake area residents and business owners Roger and Nancy Schweiters of Boyd Lodge will be honored as this year’s Crosslake St. Patrick’s Day grand marshals. - Northland Press file photo | 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshals: Roger and Nancy Schweiters of Boyd LodgeWeb posted March 12, 2013 Roger and Nancy Schwieters were chosen as the grand marshals of the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration in Crosslake, held March 15-17. The couple is best known as the long time owners of Boyd Lodge Resort on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes. Nancy’s father, Lynn Boyd, founded Boyd Lodge in 1934. It was always his dream to move off his family farm and start a Minnesota resort. After Nancy’s mother, Ceil, passed away in 1951, she and her father ran the resort until 1956 when she went away to college to pursue a career in nursing. After college, Nancy worked as a medical technician in St. Cloud and Albany where she met her future husband, Roger. Nancy and Roger were married in 1959 but returned to Crosslake to take over the resort after her father and stepmother were killed in a car accident outside Pequot Lakes in 1966. They ran Boyd Lodge until 2008. When asked what being chosen as grand marshals meant to the couple Nancy replied, “It was such an honor, and a great honor that we would be considered. We’re so proud of our area, we’ve worked with everyone for so many years - we were surprised, but very pleased.” “We had a shorter trip this year,” said Nancy by phone on Sunday. The couple was in Alabama on their way home to Crosslake after spending a few months in Florida. “But we’re so happy to show our support for the community.” “We love the beauty of the area, the people, and how all the resorters and different businesses always worked so closely with each other. It wasn’t a competition,” said Nancy. “Crosslake is pretty special. I’ve watched it grow over the years - from when I was a little girl and my father ran the resort.” Roger said, “The Crosslake area has a great spirit of camaraderie and we enjoyed good working relationship with everyone in the community.” He added, “Everyone in area was great to do business with and we always tried to do that, using local businesses.” The couple has three children, Michael, Mary and Tom, who have all worked at the resort. Michael has been running the resort since 2010 with Ruth Nordby. “We’re so grateful for our kids all these years helping out with the resort,” said Nancy. "Michael and Ruth are running it now - the third generation, and that’s very important to us. It’s nice to know family is back and the resort is on track. It’s wonderful for us to get away and know things are being taken care of.” The couple has been honored for their efforts with the resort as Roger was chosen as Resorter of the Year in 1987, and Nancy was inducted into the prestigious Minnesota Hospitality Hall of Fame as the Minnesota Resort and Campground Association’s nominee in 2007. The couple calls Crosslake home for most of the year. “We’re at the resort a lot, helping out. We love keeping our hands in there. Nancy said emphatically, “We just love our guests and the business is such a big part of our life and for that we are so grateful. When the guests come, they’re not really guests, just family.” The Schwieters are excited to take part in the parade and surrounding events. Nancy said, “I’m very Irish. My dad was half Irish. Roger is German, but he always goes along with my blarney and corned beef and cabbage.” | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northland Press | P.O. Box 145 | Outing, MN 56662 | (218) 692-5842 Email: news@northlandpress.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
