Dwight K. Yerxa was educated in the Merriam Park public school of St. Paul, with a final two years in the graded schools of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Central high school of Minneapolis. He afterward entered the University of Minnesota, where he remained a student for three and a half years, pursuing a course in civil engineering.
Dwight left college in February, 1904, and spent about a year in Cuba and the Isle of Pines.
He became actively connected with the grain business as a clerk and bookkeeper in the employ of the Morse Grain Company. Later he entered the service of the Pillsbury Flour Mills Company as a traveling salesman, his territory covering Minnesota. Six months later he was given charge of the sales of the state of Wisconsin and subsequently his jurisdiction was extended to cover Wisconsin, upper Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota. In August, 1910, he was made manager of the Pittsburgh branch at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, continuing with the Pillsbury Flour Mills Company until August, 1914, when he resigned to become one of the officers and incorporators of the firm of Yerxa, Andrews & Thurston, Incorporated. This company began operations in September, 1914, and the business was maintained successfully until March, 1922, when it was sold out.
He then again became identified with the Pillsbury Flour Mills Company as eastern sales manager. He became of general manager of the new Pillsbury plant at Buffalo, New York, in September, 1923.
Dwight did military service during the First World War. He was in the officers' training school at Camp Taylor, Kentucky, in October, 1918, receiving his discharge on the 3rd of December of that year, following the signing of the armistice.
Dwight Yerxa was a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Psi Upsilon, a national college fraternity. He had membership in the Minneapolis, Minikahda and Lafayette Clubs and had gained many warm friends through his social qualities, which have their root in a genial manner and unfeigned cordiality.
Dwight K. Yerxa occupied a commanding position in milling circles of the northwest for many years.
Lelia's father, Fendall Gregory Winston, was the son of William Overton Winston and Sarah Gregory.
Lilia's mother, Lillian Jones, was the daughter of Henry Robinson Jones and Sally Stag.