My father was a man who loved his job and never worked a day. He was a teacher, and he spent 20 years at Jefferson High School, instructing kids in math and computer science.
But his summers were filled with a wide variety of professions: miner, bartender, truck driver and painter. When not busy working the many side jobs, he was answering his ambulance pager or helping neighbors with frozen pipes or building something.
The next step in his journey was to launch MGM Computers, while teaching computer science at the University of Montana Western. He loved to teach in rural areas, and the commute was a big bonus. The drive time was amazing and a good day was not hitting a deer.
After he became a grandfather to Monica Myrhow, Dad decided to move to Winnemucca, Nevada, where he began teaching at Great Basin Community College. Technology took him to many virtual classrooms — and again, he enjoyed traveling the state of Nevada, teaching in rural areas.
He held this position until his retirement. Then, during a trip to Tucson, Arizona, he found a place where he could finally relax and enjoy life. He and my mother spent several winters in the south and enjoyed meeting old friends from Montana. They returned to Winnemucca to spend time with their new great-granddaughter, Megan Bellinger. The weekends there were filled with Giants baseball games and Nascar.
The essentials of Dad’s life: He was born in Fargo, North Dakota to Alfred and Margaret Myrhow. His family moved to Cut Bank, where his parents opened up a jewelry store and watch repair shop. He graduated high school in 1958, and then the University of Montana in 1962. He was working with his father on mining claims near East Helena when he met Geraldine Scheet in a cafe. They were married August 11, 1962 at Saint Ann’s Catholic Church in East Helena, then moved to Boulder.
Dad always had a passion for anything with gears or motion. He spent a lifetime building clocks, windmills and gears. His hobby in retirement involved anything remote controlled, most notably a flying pizza box. He had a mind that never stopped and always had a project on the work bench.
