Dad was a good man who lived a productive and full life. He worked hard and always seemed to be whistling a tune and thinking. He was a man full of wisdom and a great mentor to his family and many others. From his ranch and business life to his love of family, to politics, the land and woodworking, he left his mark with just about everyone who knew him.
Growing up as a ranch family, we got to spend a lot of time with Dad and learned much, especially how to work hard. With the ranching, sawmill and post yard businesses, he knew what or how any improvements were going to help production and quality, and we looked to him for suggestions or feedback. He was willing to help if needed and was happy with any successes. And as we grew into our own careers, he was very engaged and loved knowing what was happening in our various medical, banking and trucking worlds.
Dad’s political and service life was pretty much the same: He wanted the outcome to be successful and wanted to help people and his community to thrive. He discovered the desire to serve in this capacity after years on the Clancy Elementary and Jefferson High School boards. He lost his first election for the Montana Legislature in the late 1960s, but ran again the next term and ended up serving for 20 years.
